United Evangelical Mission

Sector

Multifunctional

Location

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Year

2023

Project Size

2390m2

Project Cost

USD 1,600,000

Baraka Sikawa l Sune Mushendwa l Ndesi Chamba l Devina Nagewadia

Architect

United Evangelical Mission

Client

Status

Concept Design

The creation of an 'urban oasis'.

In the middle of the busy city of Dar es Salaam, UEM will have a tranquil but energizing working space that is fully integrated into nature without having a negative impact on the environment.

Humans are hard-wired to respond positively to nature; the smells of fresh rain on soil, the healing characteristics of plants and the color green, and the calming effect of the ocean. We have therefore proudly copied the good from nature and brought it into the built environment.

The United Evangelical Mission (UEM) have a piece of land in Kigamboni, Dar es Salaam that they plan to develop into their new home; UEM have a vision to transform the land into a vibrant place where the dynamics of the international UEM can unfold. A place that is calm, green and sustainably designed. An oasis. The old trees should be preserved and new trees planted wherever possible. The campus shall be designed with sustainability and the lowest possible energy consumption in mind.

The planned construction is as follows:

Office
Renovation of old church building
Guest apartments
Museum and archives (future development)
Parking and garage
Restaurant and café
Residential buildings
Rental shops (future development)

The main functions are positioned for optimal accessibility, security, privacy and views. The modular design allows changes to be made to a single module without affecting the rest of the structure. This also gives flexibility to adjust the building size to fit a fixed construction budget.

Plants and trees: The site has trees existing along the site boundary at irregular intervals and mainly concentrated south of the road that crosses the plot.

Site neighbors: The site has commercial buildings on all sides, with encroachment on the western part of the plot blocking the view and access to the beach and a number of commercial buildings within the site plot boundaries.

Soil erosion: Along the western edge, erosion has occurred due to stormwater and human activities.

The materials selected for the project reinforce the notion of sustainability in the building. They reduce greenhouse gas emissions during production, conserves resources, and reduces waste by using recycled materials. The materials are durable and have good insulation properties, contributing to energy efficiency and improved indoor quality. The following are the materials we proposed to use throughout the project:

Green roof
Recycled plastic planks
Triple glazed UV reflective glass
Locally sourced timber
Locally manufactured concrete
Upcycled steel
Natural vegetation
Recycled steel
Living pavers

Office:

UEM office is designed for 3 executive offices, office pool for 15 people and a conference room. The offices have a flexible plan design, well-lit space, accessibility to green spaces and an ocean view.

Guest & Residential apartments:

Residential apartments are designed for staff and guests for UEM Africa region offices. The units can also be rented out for income generation.

Restaurant & Café:

An open plan design restaurant that can serve UEM staff, guests, as well as the surrounding community with the Dar es Salaam city skyline view and rooftop green garden.

Parking garage:

A parking space designed for 30+ vehicles used by Kigamboni area population that is both green and sustainable.

Commercial shops:

Commercial shops and outlet building designed to be positioned separately from other functions to allow for different phase construction.

Old church building:

Consideration for the historical significance of the old church building to UEM, the community and church masses and services.

Archive museum:

A space/building to be designed for a small archive museum for documents (church/historical importance) to be accessible to the public and for research purposes.

Office