The Power of Culture

Mick Pearce is an architect from Zimbabwe and winner of one of the 2003 Prince Claus Awards. An original and innovative architect, Mick Pearce is particularly renowned for his work on the bio-ecological aspects of the built environment. Through his research into local materials, traditional technologies such as wind towers, and the natural systems of African termites, he has developed passive and energy-saving systems of construction and design, particularly with regard to the ventilation and air-conditioning of buildings.

He was one of the speakers during the 'African Perspectives' event held December 6, 2007 in Delft in the Netherlands, a joint initiative of the Faculty of Architecture at Delft University of Technology and the ArchiAfrika Foundation. This event is intended as a market place with workshops, debates, exhibitions and films, where architects, urban planners and others exchange information on architecture and urbanism in Africa.

Pearce delivered a lecture about the consequences of the upcoming energy crisis for the development of cities: 'From From Eastgate to CH2: building on the energy watershed. The entire lecture is pubished on this website.