Construction of a floating music hub has begun in Porto Grande Bay, also known as Mindelo Bay and which is situated on the north coast of the island of São Vicente in Cape Verde, Western Africa.
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The project is mainly a trio prefabricated floating hub, which consists of a multipurpose performance hall, a professional recording studio, and a service bar. The three vessels will be anchored around a triangular floating public plaza.
Designed by Amsterdam-Lagos firm NLÉ and Kunlé Adeyemi, the mind behind the Makoko Floating School in Lagos, the project is slated for completion by December and it is expected to promote music, dance, art, and other creative industries in Africa and the diaspora.
The Makoko Floating School
This floating school comprises of alternative sustainable buildings and structures made from local materials such as bamboo and timber. Wood is used as the major material for the structure, support, and finishing.
The form of the school building is a triangular A-Frame section with about 1,000-square-foot play area. The classrooms are located on the second tier and are partially enclosed with adjustable louvered slats, and they are also surrounded by spatial public greenery. There is a playground below the classroom while the roof contains an additional open-air classroom.
Sustainable features employed in the project include the application of solar cells to the roof, rainwater catchment systems, and composting toilets. The structure also utilizes about 250 plastic barrels to float on the waters and be naturally ventilated and aerated.
The floating school design won several awards including the 2013 AR+D award for emerging architecture and was shortlisted for the London Design Museum’s 2014 Design of the Year award. It also received a nomination for the 2015 International Award for Public Art.
