Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre
A visionary project that aims to narrate the story of Africa through the stories of historical and contemporary African leaders who have contributed to the development, liberation, and renewing of Africa.
The Centre is more than a museum or a library; it is a living space that showcases the rich and diverse history, culture, and creativity of Africa and its people. The Centre is also a platform for dialogue, learning, and innovation that fosters a deeper understanding of Africa’s past, present, and future.
Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre
The Centre is guided by the principles of African Renaissance
The Centre is guided by the principles of African Renaissance, which call for the rebirth of Africa as a continent of peace, democracy, human rights, and social justice. The Centre seeks to inspire and empower Africans to take charge of their own destiny and to shape the world in which they live.
The Centre is designed by renowned architecture firm Adjaye Associates, who have created iconic buildings such as the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC, the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo, and the Skolkovo Moscow School of Management. The centre’s design reflects the African aesthetic, identity, and spirit, while also incorporating modern and sustainable features.
Launch
Opening 2025
The centre is scheduled to be opened in 2025, designed by renowned architecture firm Adjaye Associates.
Venue
Johannesburg
It will be located in Johannesburg, an economic and cultural hub of Africa and a symbol of its transformation and resilience.
Purpose
Mission
The centre’s mission is to inspire, educate, and empower current and future generations of Africans and global citizens to learn from the past, engage with the present, and envision a better future for Africa and the world.
Design Concept
The Building
The building of the Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre is a masterpiece of architecture and engineering that embodies the essence of Africa.
The Building
Design Concept
Conceptually, the new building makes visible the invisible knowledge of ancient and contemporary African history through both form and program. Sited in Riviera, Johannesburg, the Centre will harbour the knowledge of the land whilst acting as a space for connection in which the advancement of an African Renaissance becomes the premise of the structure. Represented in design as a metaphor for knowledge based nourishment, the new building references the structures of granaries — which allow for the extension of grain production and the systematization of cycles of feeding, planting and harvesting.
The Building
Architectural Concept
Using architecture as a tool to reimagine storage and sustenance into form, the granary stores guide the overall building concept. The eight cylindrical granary-styled forms are made contemporary through the topping of domes with apertures that take into consideration the solar orientation of light within the site to create a distinct atmosphere for each of the programs within. The internal infrastructure of these chambers see to it that the building accommodates a multiplicity of programmatic functions. They are connected through an ‘indoor den’ — a horizontal (2) interstitial space that extends the length of the entire building to provide a new public space in service to the community.
The Building
Material Concept
Use of the locally sourced compressed mud in the form of a rammed earth facade, terrazzo flooring made from local stone and timber cladding from local wood species collectively reduce the overall carbon footprint of the structure. Through a site-specific understanding of the subtropical highland climate of Johannesburg, solar harvesting is utilized through state of the art photo-voltaic solar panels, located on the rooftop absorbing sunlight and generating electricity. Geothermal heating and thickened walls harness the earth’s energy by storing heat during the day and releasing it later at night to warm the building when temperatures drop.
The architecture of the Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre brings together continental African thought and form as a powerful means of tapping into collective memory. This memory, embedded within the intelligence of the African consciousness, now sees a typology of learning and a typology of sustenance materialize into form.
President Thabo Mbeki
“My vision for the new Presidential Centre”
“My vision for the new presidential centre aims to encompass both an African past and an African future. It will be a place where Africans uncover their own history and identity. A place where we are empowered to script a brighter and more prosperous future. I believe this building will become the epicentre for an African renaissance — a place of pride, celebration and future forward thinking in which a strong sense of the African identity is empowered for further leadership in service to humanity”.
Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre
Interior Concept
The Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre interiors provide the visitor with opportunities to learn and discover as well as partake in educational opportunities. Through our spaces we seek to engage, enlighten and encourage all generations of visitors, students, practitioners and supporters to participate enthusiastically in the various exhibitions, lectures and programs offered.
Interior Concept
A vital and intriguing contemporary venue.
The Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre will become a vital and intriguing contemporary venue for young people as well— an ongoing inspiration that enables them to feel connected to their heritage and, ultimately, to co-create. The Centre will be an attractive destination for all Africans and international guests.
01
Approach
Sustainability
Our sustainability approach is concentrated on designing a 6-star green building. Our united goal is to preserve the environment by using low-carbon materials and natural solutions that have a lower impact on climate change.
02
Approach
Air Quality
To improve air quality, we chose low VOC paints and epoxy, which have a lower odour and are easier to clean with soap and water, while reducing the concentration of toxins in the ozone layer, groundwater, and landfills.
03
Approach
Conservation
Low flow and low flush sanitary ware has been selected to ensure water conservation; as a response to the environmental issue of water overuse in South Africa.
04
Approach
Local Empowerment
In line with the sustainability objective of the scheme, selected custom-designed finishes, furniture, furnishings and joinery will be achieved through support and interaction with the skilled craftsmen and artisans in South Africa. We have also opted to use FSC certified timber for all joinery and timber flooring.
Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre
Landscape Concept
The landscape design draws its inspiration from the architectural intention to make visible the invisible knowledge of ancient and contemporary African history through both form and program. The premise of the library is to promote the advancement of an African renaissance and harbour the knowledge of the land. The architectural design is represented as a metaphor for knowledge-based nourishment, referencing the structure of granaries and grain production in the design. Using the African agricultural practices of planting and harvesting as a metaphor for the cultivation and sharing of knowledge, the landscape design furthers the architectural intent. Two African traditions and a contemporary invention are explored as form and pattern generators.
Landscape concept
The Streetscape
The space is located along the eastern and southern perimeter of the site, stretching from the street edge to the side of the podium. Small seating areas are interspersed between planting down the length of the sidewalk, offering respite from the elements. The vegetation in this space consists of three components. A thorny, succulent hedge hugs the full length of the podium edge. This hedge is a reference to plants typically used to construct a kraal in the centre of a village. Here though, it acts to soften the verticality of the building podium. The second component is a palette of soft native grasses planted along the sidewalk. These grasses reference the Highveld, the region in which the project is located. Lastly, a canopy of tall Acacia trees create a green canopy helping to shade to podium and sidewalk as well as break the scale of the buildings.
Landscape concept
Architectural Concept
The space is located to the west of the site between the Presidential Centre and the Herbert Baker property. The space is comprised of three distinct elements – an amphitheatre to the east which connects the upper podium with the square, the main performance square in the middle and a heavy, vegetated berm to the west. Flanking the space on the southern edge are a series of large pivot gates which provide exit and entry for special events. And on the northern edge, the square transitions into the Central Garden space via a series of small stairs and ramps. Because the square is intended to be used for events and performances, the large berm, planted with a forest of trees, serves three key functions – it acts as a soft backdrop for the performances, it provides shade and cooling onto the paved square, and it provides privacy and screening between the two properties.
Landscape concept
The Central Garden
The space is located at the back interior of the site between the future archive building and Thabo Mbeki residence to the north and the presidential centre to the south. This garden space is relatively flat to the west but transitions into a sunken attenuation area on the eastern edge. A series of walkways traverse through the grassy landscape opening here and there into small seating areas that are intended to instigate informal conversation and debate. To fulfil council requirements an attenuation pond has been incorporated into the landscape to manage stormwater during and after rain events. This implies that at certain times a portion of the landscape will be temporarily flooded. However, when not in flood, the attenuation area serves as an extension of the of the adjacent garden. Within the garden, a series of small water features and a number of gathering spaces meander below a canopy of Fever Trees and Candelabra Euphorbias. The Fever Trees were selected for their ability to grow in inundated areas while the Euphorbias provide strong form that mimics the inverse of the domed silo typology of the building. On the ground, the planting palette is a mix of wild grasses and yellow flowering perennials that emerge from the clay paved surface at varied intensities.
Landscape concept
The Reflective Garden
The space is located to the west of the site between the Presidential Centre and the Herbert Baker property. The space is comprised of three distinct elements – an amphitheatre to the east which connects the upper podium with the square, the main performance square in the middle and a heavy, vegetated berm to the west. Flanking the space on the southern edge are a series of large pivot gates which provide exit and entry for special events. And on the northern edge, the square transitions into the Central Garden space via a series of small stairs and ramps. Because the square is intended to be used for events and performances, the large berm, planted with a forest of trees, serves three key functions – it acts as a soft backdrop for the performances, it provides shade and cooling onto the paved square, and it provides privacy and screening between the two properties.
Landscape concept
Materiality and Furnishing
The material selection for the landscape is a continuation of that used within the building, tying the two components together. Thus, the clay brick pavers used on the podium are pulled through the entirety of the garden, opening and closing to allow for the emergence of plants.
Inspired by the isiBheqe Sohlamvu script, the outdoor furniture palette (incl. seating, lighting bollards and litter bins) take on triangular forms, often incorporating perforated panels displaying different symbols from the script. A small luminaire at the base of each seat is intended to light the underside of the seat and shine through the perforated panels casting evocative shadows on the paved surface during the evenings.
Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre
Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre
Situated at the heart of the Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre, the Collection serves as a testimony to Africa’s rich and diverse history. This space is as much about understanding our past as it is about facilitating our journey towards an empowered, self-identified, and self-determined Africa.
Purpose and Vision
The central mission of the Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre is to utilise the archives, which encompass the thoughts, actions, and impact of both historical and contemporary African leaders. These archives provide a forum for Africans to:
Purpose and Vision
Understand and Treasure the Past
By delving into the archives, one can explore the triumphs, challenges, and lessons from Africa’s yesteryears. From ancient civilizations to modern political movements, the Collection offers a comprehensive understanding of where we’ve been, informing where we go next.
Purpose and Vision
Enrich the Present
The present is a culmination of our history. By understanding our roots, embracing our culture, and celebrating our achievements, Africans can shape a present that is both meaningful and progressive.
Purpose and Vision
Meet the Challenges of the Future
With the wisdom of the past and the realities of the present, the Collection serves as a beacon, guiding Africans towards a future where challenges are met with innovation, resilience, and unity.
Purpose and Vision
Unparalleled insights into Africa
Through the Collection, we offer unparalleled insights into Africa’s dynamic political, cultural, and economic tapestry, spanning from its ancient civilizations to its promising future. These insights are uniquely presented through the perspectives of its most influential leaders, thinkers, and change-makers.
Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre
Components of the Collection
01
Components
Archived Documents
A vast repository of letters, manuscripts, and official documents that shed light on the decisions, thoughts, and philosophies of Africa’s leaders.
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Components
Audio-Visual Materials
Historic speeches, interviews, and recordings that capture pivotal moments and the voices that shaped them.
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Components
Photographic Records
From candid moments to monumental events, these photographs offer a visual journey through Africa’s transformative epochs.
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Components
Artifacts
Personal belongings, gifts, and symbols of state that provide a tangible connection to the leaders of yesteryear and today.
The collection
Engaging with the Collection
Visitors to the Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre are encouraged to immerse themselves in the Collection. Whether you’re a student, a researcher, or someone keen on understanding Africa’s rich tapestry, the Collection offers myriad opportunities for exploration, reflection, and inspiration. Regular workshops, exhibitions, and interactive sessions ensure that the Collection remains a living, evolving entity, continually resonating with the rhythms of Africa.
Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre
Programming
The programming of the Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre is designed to complement and enhance the experience of visiting the centre. The programming includes:
Programming
Educational programs
The centre offers educational programs for learners, educators, researchers, scholars, students, professionals, and lifelong learners. The programs include guided tours, workshops, seminars, lectures, debates, symposia, conferences, and online courses. The programs cover various topics related to Africa’s history, culture, politics, economics, society, and future.
Programming
Cultural programs
The centre hosts cultural programmes that celebrate the diversity and creativity of African peoples and cultures. The programs include exhibitions, performances, festivals, concerts, films, literature, and art. The programmes feature local, national, regional, and international artists, musicians, writers, filmmakers, and performers.
Programming
Social programs
The centre organizes social programs that foster dialogue, engagement, and collaboration among visitors, communities, organizations, and stakeholders. The programs include networking events, community outreach, volunteer opportunities, mentorship programs, and social media campaigns. The programs aim to raise awareness, build partnerships, and mobilize action on issues affecting Africa and the world.
Updates
Updates
Construction updates
The updates on the construction of the building, including the design, engineering, and sustainability aspects.
Updates
Collection updates
The updates on the acquisition, preservation, and digitization of the collection, including the donations, loans, and partnerships with other institutions.
Updates
Programming updates
The updates on the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the programming, including the feedback, testimonials, and impact stories from the participants and beneficiaries.
Updates
Media updates
The updates on the media coverage, publicity, and recognition of the centre, including the press releases, interviews, articles, and awards.