As the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Lamu Old Town, Manda Airstrip’s terminal buildings aim to showcase and reinterpret the town’s traditional character. Echoes of its low roofs, parapets, narrow shaded streets, courtyards, barazas (shaded seating areas) and grand arches are distilled in the context of the demands of a contemporary airport building. The structure is mainly a reinforced concrete frame with local coral stone infill, finished in traditional pigmented lime plaster. A large suspended roof floats above the building, its colour resembling 'makuti' (coconut-leaf) thatch. All required energy is generated by photovoltaic roof panels, and the building benefits from passive cooling and water conservation methods.
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
