Text courtesy of The Pritzker Architecture Prize.
The National Park of Mali, located between the National Museum of Mali and the Presidential Palace, reopened in 2010 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence. The 103-hectare park, situated within a 2,100-hectare protected forest reserve, reopened with the architect redeveloping eight existing facilities on site, including two entrance gates, a welcome center, restaurant, youth sports arena, public toilets and kiosks. Elements remain consistent throughout the various buildings, one of which is constructed atop a natural rock formation, and all of which blend into the local topography. Indigenous stone provides thermal mass and references locality, coupled with wide, detached, overhanging roofs, to facilitate passive cooling systems. Some buildings, equipped with air conditioning, feature sealable roof systems.
