ArchitectGeorg FiebigJan HülsemannPer Krusche

ClientSibylle RiedmillerChumbe Island Coral Park Ltd

Design1994 - 1997

Completed1998

by Jimmy CS Lim (2004) and Arya Abieta (2001)

2556.TANOn Site Review Reports

Chumbe Island Coral ParkZanzibar, Tanzania

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Chumbe Island Coral Park

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Elements of this report are based on a Project Review prepared for the 2001 cycle of the Aga Khan

Award for Architecture by Arya Abieta.

I. Introduction

Chumbe Island is about 12 kilometres south-west of Zanzibar. The island, now a coral-marine

conservation area, is approximately one kilometre long by 200 metres wide along the north–

south axis.

This project – seven bungalows and an education centre - should not be assessed from an

architectural point of view alone but also in terms of the larger picture of the whole intention

of the project. Its bungalows and facilities play an educational role and provide a sustainable

and renewable means of generating income for the marine park. The scheme receives no

financial support from the Zanzibari or Tanzanian governments but was given aid and grants

by European government agencies.

The continued survival of this project could be an uphill struggle. It is kept going by a team of

dedicated local staff and foreign volunteers and the driving force behind the whole vision was

and continues to be Sibylle Riedmiller.

II. Contextual Information

A. Historical background

Chumbe Island was an uninhabited coral island in the middle of the main sea route between

Dar es Salaam and the Stone Town of Zanzibar. Fishing is banned in the sea lane, and so

Chumbe has been spared from the activities of fishermen. The island is about 17 metres

above the continental shelf, which drops to a depth of 30 metres or so. It is a treasure trove of

coral and marine life and 90 per cent of East African corals and four hundred species of fish

are found there.

The earliest visitors to Zanzibar are reported to have been Arab traders, who first came to the

island during the eighth century AD. Although people from many other nationalities, cultures

and religions have followed since, Zanzibar has remained a predominantly Islamic society (an

estimated 97% of its population is Muslim). The Stone Town, the historic heart of Zanzibar’s

Unguja Island, reflects in particular the unique mix of many cultures that have left their mark

on Zanzibar. Britain, the last foreign power to dominate Zanzibar, pulled out in early 1963,

although independence was not formally declared until December 12th 1963. The revolution

that followed a month later, in January 1994, caused widespread looting and killing in Stone

Town and led to large-scale emigration of Stone Town residents and confiscation of their

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property. Since the introduction of multi-party elections in 1995, Zanzibar has been returning

to its long-held tradition of peaceful tolerance and diverse peoples.

Zanzibaris depend on fishing as their main source of income and nourishment. (As most

Zanzibaris are Muslim, meat consumption is restricted to beef, mutton, chicken and types of

game that can be found on the island.) Many fishermen working around the waters of

Zanzibar employ highly destructive techniques such as wholesale poisoning or the use of

explosives to scare the fish into the nets or to concuss or kill them for easy gathering. These

methods are destroying the marine ecology and will ultimately lead to the depletion of the

islanders’ main source of protein and income. This continued indiscriminate destruction

threatens an important source of food for the island-bound Zanzibaris.

From the 1900s until the early 1990s a lighthouse-keeper was resident on Chumbe Island and during

the 1960s, the island became part of a military security zone, which may explain the undisturbed state

of both forest and reef. In 1993 management of Chumbe Island was entrusted, through management

agreements, to Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd (CHICOP). CHICOP also leases some of the land on

the island for commercial purposes.

B. Local architectural character

Travelling from Dar es Salaam by air, the Stone Town of Zanzibar and the environs of

Zanzibar Island do not appear to have any buildings similar to those constructed for the

Chumbe Island resort. Aside from the historical core that constitutes the noted Stone Town of

Zanzibar, urban and rural sprawl are rather similar throughout the island of Zanzibar.

The traditional architecture of the villages on Zanzibar is characterized by single-storey

houses built in a traditional wattle of casuarina poles covered with mud. Roofs are

constructed with makuti, a locally produced thatch made from palm leaves. When the first

traders arrived from the Arabian Peninsula in the tenth century, the use of coral blocks and

lime as building materials was introduced to the East African coast. At the end of the

eighteenth century, rich merchants brought multi-storey Arabian architecture to Zanzibar

Town, with flat roofs and massive walls. When Sultan Sayyid Said from Oman moved his

residence from Muscat to Zanzibar in 1832, his palace and government building on the

Shangani Peninsula were constructed in the Arabian style. Soon this area of Zanzibar was

called the ‘Stone Town’, standing in contrast to the buildings of the local population made

from traditional materials. Today, more and more people use cement blocks and corrugated

iron sheets to build their houses. However, in the countryside, the so-called ‘Swahili house’,

made from locally produced materials, is still predominant.

The new architecture current in Zanzibar does not reflect the traditional style of building.

Those who are constructing homes are generally wealthy government officials, replicating the

bad taste imported from Muslim communities overseas. They appear to be abandoning

traditional building materials – casuarina poles, mangrove wood and makuti in favour of

concrete and heavy masonry. In villages, the poorer population still use traditional materials

and construction techniques.

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C. Climatic conditions

Chumbe Island is about 6º below the Equator, at about the same latitude as Jakarta. The

climate is hot and humid with tropical monsoons. There are two rainy seasons: the short rains

between November and December and the long rains occur between April and the end of

May. The annual rainfall is between 1,500 and 2,000 millimetres. The maximum temperature

is around 27°C in July/August, rising to 33°C from December to March, and the minimum

temperature is around 22°C. Because Chumbe is an island, there are always winds blowing

inland or out to sea.

D. Site and surroundings

Chumbe Island is formed entirely from ancient coral reef, now elevated above sea level and

weathered to produce a low-lying island, roughly oval in outline, with its long axis running

roughly north–south. It is approximately 1.1 kilometres long and 300 metres wide at its

widest point. Its total area is 20 hectares. There are no watercourses or permanent freshwater

pools on the island. Most of the island is forested with vegetation in its natural state. The

coral reef on the western shore is particularly notable for its excellent condition, diversity of

coral and abundance of fish.

There are historical buildings on the island, such as a lighthouse, built by the British in 1904

and fuelled since 1926 by a gas system. These massive buildings are made from coral stone

with red earth mortar and chalk rendering. A protected historical mosque has been left

untouched and is still used by the Chumbe Island staff. This is one of the few examples of

Indian mosque architecture in Zanzibar, and was built for the Indian lighthouse-keeper by the

community at the turn of the twentieth century.

The project site lies on the island’s western side – its only open area – covering

approximately 2.4 hectares. The western side of the island is forested, with trees that must

have existed for some two to three hundred years, as is indicated by a group of huge baobab

trees that have trunks with a girth of up to 6 metres. The remaining part of the island forms a

government reserve.

Access to the island is by boat alone. Indigenous land-bound sea creatures and crustaceans are

well represented, while the island seems to be something of a bird sanctuary; the constant

singing of birds is a feature of any visit to Chumbe.

E. Topography

The sides of the coral outcrop that forms Chumbe Island have been washed away by the

constant pounding of the waves. At high tide the island from the sea looks like it is hovering

above the waves. At low tide the profile of the island assumes a cantilevered, cavernous

appearance, accentuated by shadow on the recessed baseline. The island is largely flat but

with some undulations and occasional elevated outcrops.

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III. Programme

A. What conditions gave rise to the formulation of the programme?

The project is non-commercial although the operation of the island follows commercial principles to

raise revenue through profitable eco-tourism and related activities in order to fulfil the scheme’s

objectives. The overall aim of CHICOP is to create a model of sustainable conservation where eco-

tourism supports conservation and education. To this end, all infrastructure development on the island

is based strictly on state-of-the-art eco-architecture and environmental technology.

The Management Plan 1995–2005 stipulated that the impact of any development within the

leased area must be minimized through use of appropriate environmentally sound technology,

such as solar power, solar water-heating, rainwater harvesting, compost toilets, and grey

water and compost filtration and recycling.

The whole project was formulated as a result of the tenacity and determination of one German

woman, Sibylle Riedmiller, who was driven to save the coral reef and its marine ecology for

the benefit of Tanzanians in general and for Zanzibaris in particular.

B. Objectives

The general programme objective was to conserve the coral reef of Chumbe Island for the

benefit of the Zanzibaris and to educate them about the importance of the reef as a breeding

ground for marine life. Having persuaded the government to declare the island a marine park,

the next step was for the proponents of the scheme to establish a sustainable mode of

development that could support and maintain the conservation project. This was intended to

be a showcase and blueprint of marine conservation for the Zanzibaris that would not deplete

their supply of fish. The accommodation and facilities the resort offers were designed to

generate income to maintain the marine reserve.

C. Functional requirements

The architect’s brief was to plan a development that would be environmentally friendly – in

fact, making no impact on the environment – and ecologically appropriate. The architecture

was to reflect the local style, whatever form that took in the mind of the client, Sibylle

Riedmiller.

IV. Description

A. Project data

Each bungalow 35 square metres

Total for seven bungalows 245 square metres

Education centre (including the old

lighthouse-keeper’s house) 470.5 square metres

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There are also assorted utility buildings of no architectural consequence. The total built area

is 841.5 square metres.

B. Evolution of design concepts

The project can be divided into two phases: firstly, the design and completion of the first

bungalow and work on the services for all the bungalows; and secondly, the design and

construction of all the other accommodation. The original bungalow design proposed by the

architect Per Krusche in 1993 was rectangular in plan. This was constructed with a roof form

approved by Sibylle Riedmiller, but Ms Riedmiller did not like the layout. Consequently, the

layout for the six subsequent bungalows was altered. The roof form is similar in each case,

with minor imaginative variations on the part of the local workers, who could not work with

the precision found in the developed world – the largely natural materials they used would

show variations in any hands.

The Education Centre was part of the second phase and was conceived by Jan Hulsemann. He

had the idea of ringing the whole of a pre-existing lighthouse-keeper’s house with a series of

six lattice-shell structures, similar to those used for the bungalows, along axes radiating from

the centre. There was to be an open area in the middle, above the old building. The client did

not agree with this proposal. They resolved instead to join the six canopies to produce a broad

dome. The final form was accepted by Ms Riedmiller and construction was relatively rapid:

construction began in August 1997 and was completed in May 1998.

1. Response to physical constraints

A few pre-existing man-made structures formed the starting point for the growth of the resort.

There was a stone jetty, a lighthouse, an old lighthouse-keeper’s house and the remains of a

surau (a small place of prayer). The westerly site close to the jetty has the least vegetation on

the island while having the only stretch of sandy beach – just a narrow strip. The rest of the

island is almost completely forested. Great care was given to choice of the site so that no trees

needed to be removed and the natural environment suffered minimal disturbance.

2. Response to user requirements

Ms Riedmiller is generally happy with the performance of the bungalows and with the design

of the Education Centre in particular.

Bungalow 5, actually the first to be built, was not to Sibylle Riedmiller’s satisfaction as there

were numerous details that were thought to be impractical and inappropriate. Eventually Ms

Riedmiller modified the design with the assistance of Jan Hulsemann, and the rest of the units

followed the revised plan.

Incorporating the old lighthouse-keeper’s stone house into the design for the Education

Centre was positive both in terms of the design and the consequent location of the centre. Its

relationship to the surau and the landing jetty was ideal and minimized intrusion into the

island. The only drawback of the design was the location and handling of the kitchen within

the centre. Its placement interrupts the flow of the veranda, which otherwise surrounds the

Education Centre. This clumsy positioning takes away the only part of the structure that had a

view of the beach and the bungalows nestling in the landscape.

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3. Purely formal aspects

The bungalows are designed with a simple, distinctive geometry that is reflected in the roof

form. The shell-like roofs are synonymous with their function, sheltering yet open to breezes.

The Education Centre is a six-sided building with all sides open to take maximum advantage

of the views, breeze and sunshine. Along the six axes, at the edge of the building, were placed

six roof forms similar to those of the bungalows, but extended upwards to meet at the centre

of the building.

The original design was for a rectangular structure with a pitched roof that incorporated the

lighthouse-keeper’s house and strove to reflect the Muslim architecture of Zanzibar. This idea

was rejected. When Jan Hulsemann initiated the scheme for the Education Centre, he repeated

the bungalow roof-form around the edge of the structure, leaving the centre unroofed. With

the client’s input, the design developed to what it is today.

4. Landscaping

What exists is nature’s handiwork. Other than the smaller plants that were added around the

buildings, there was no other landscaping intervention.

C. Structure, materials, technology

1. Structural systems

The main theme throughout the project is fan-shaped ribs, similar to a Chinese folded-paper

fan. An alternative comparison would be the Sydney Opera House, with the concrete ribs

being substituted with casuarina poles.

2. Materials

Structural members: All the main structural components are casuarina poles. They were used

for the structural ribs of the bungalows, as supports for the roof cladding, and as other cross-

members and bracings. Some mangrove saplings were used in non-structural locations. The

bases of the buildings are made of masonry, using load-bearing fossilized coral rock dug from

the site.

Infill materials: The casuarina ribs were interwoven with matting made from pandan leaves

and the supple ‘skin’ of bamboo stems, while the roofs were covered with makuti shingles to

facilitate water collection.

Renderings and finishes: Coloured cement rendering was applied to the masonry bases. All

floors were finished with gunmetal-grey cement, with decorative borders of ceramic mosaic

tiles for the living spaces and bathrooms.

3. Construction technology

Simple local building technologies were utilized in the construction of this project. A clear

geometric form for the roofs, was adopted as the principal shape throughout. This three-sided

form – resembling in shape a segment from the surface of a sphere – was used for all the

bungalows. The bungalow roofs were formed by placing the hypotenuse of two of these

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triangular sections together to create a ridge. The shell-shaped structures were stabilized using

steel guy wires fastened to the sides of the roof and anchored to the ground.

Traditional construction methods were adapted and developed. Whereas the traditional

approach would have been be to use casuarina poles as structural uprights, here the casuarina-

pole ribs were cross-braced with additional poles, tied in with coconut fibre ropes. Thus, a

new form of expression evolved. The outside of the roofs were finished with makuti, used to

direct rain to the water-catchments troughs. There was no finish inside the sweeping roofs;

the structural form remains visible.

4. Building services and site utilities

Per Krusche developed the master plan for the project: the original designs for the seven

bungalows and the Education Centre and the building services systems. With the exception of

the services scheme, the preliminary designs were rejected by Ms Riedmiller as being ‘too

European’ and unsuitable for the Tropics.

After modifications, the first bungalow and the services infrastructure were constructed under

Georg Fiebig’s supervision. Per Krusche visited occasionally. The bungalow took a year to

construct, which was too long in the client’s view. They encountered many problems on site.

Ms Riedmiller explained that the fossilized ground was very difficult to dig. This had to be

done to accommodate the half-sunken, 2-metre-deep water-storage tank (cistern) and other

services. The masonry plinth above ground formed the base for the roof structure of the first

bungalow and this also had to be secured by excavating foundations.

D. Origin of technology, materials, labour force, professionals

1. Technology

The technology for the hot water, solar energy for lighting, waste treatment using compost

techniques and water treatment was European. Most of the service equipment was imported

in a shipment from Germany.

2. Materials

The solar panels for the hot water and the compost toilets came from Denmark, the rest of the

service equipment came from Germany. All the building materials were obtained locally.

They were sourced from the mainlaind and sent over by boat. This was a major logistical

problem that the design team had not expected.

3. Labour force

The labour force was mainly Zanzibari. Many of the local workers were not technically

trained, having been fishermen or labourers, but they all had basic traditional knowledge and

the skills to work with indigenous materials.

A local builder / foreman was employed to oversee the construction. His role included

coordinating and instructing the local workers, relaying information and checking the quality

of the work.

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4. Professionals

Architects

Per Krusche is a professor of architecture at the University of Technology, Braunschweig,

Germany. He devised the master plan for the project, produced preliminary designs for the

bungalows and the Education Centre, and evolved the shell roof-form for the bungalows. He

also proposed and resolved the sustainable system for services – the heating of water, use of

solar energy for lighting, waste treatment using composting techniques, and water treatment.

According to Sibylle Riedmiller, Professor Krusche had been doing research into ecologically

friendly building systems. She originally heard about him through a student of his, Georg

Fiebig.

Georg Fiebig, an undergraduate architectural student of Krusche, was in Zanzibar visiting his

friend Jan Hulsemann, who was working on a conservation project in the Stone Town. The

idea of undertaking an environmentally friendly and sustainable project was discussed by the

client and Fiebig who recommended his mentor, Per Krusch. Krusch visited the island

occasionally while Fiebig took a year off from his studies to administer the project on site and

to oversee its construction from an architectural point of view. Fiebig left the project after the

completion of the first bungalow.

According to Ms Riedmiller, Hulsemann is a carpenter, although he might be an architect

with specialist knowledge of joinery. Hulsemann was employed by the client to redesign the

Education Centre (they both contributed to the final scheme), redesign the bungalows and

their interior layouts, and to administer the project during the remaining construction. This

phase of the work apparently took four-and-a-half years.

Contractors

There was no contractor as such. The first bungalow was constructed under the supervision of

Georg Fiebig, with the assistance of local craftsmen who were familiar with the building

techniques. Fiebig introduced a local builder (fundi), Abdi Haji Ussi, to the project as the

foreman / middleman. Abdi subsequently worked closely with Hulsemann, receiving

instructions from him and instructing and overseeing the rest of the workers in turn. The

remaining bungalows and the Education Centre were built under his supervision. Abdi had an

assistant called Abasi.

V. Construction Schedule and Costs

A. History of project

The project was initiated by Sybille Reidmiller in 1991. The architects were commissioned in

June 1993 and design work began in April 1994. Below is the timetable provided by the

architects, supplemented by further information to clarify and complete the data.

Phase 1: First bungalow and water-storage tanks for all the bungalows

Design: commenced April 1994; completed June 1996.

Construction: commenced August 1994; completed December 1996.

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Phase 2: Six remaining bungalows and the Education Centre

Design: commenced May 1996; completed August 1997.

Construction: commenced August 1997; completed May 1998.

From reviewing the drawings in the possession of Ms Riedmiller, the following information

was ascertained:

- There were drawings made by Krusche with Fiebig’s assistance for the Chumbe

Island Coral Park Education Centre dated 3 September1993, and for the guest

accommodation dated 15 December 1993.

- Georg Fiebig went to the island for a year, beginning April 1994, to oversee design

and construction.

- There were also drawings by Hulsemann for the Education Centre dated May 1997

that show the evolution of the roof form towards the final design that was built.

- The conceptual planning for the centre, however, was developed as early as 18

August 1996.

B. Total costs and main sources of financing

The Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd (CHICOP) has received USD 323,421 as grants from

foreign countries for this programme and has itself invested an additional USD 497,577. The

management cost to run the project is an estimated USD 304,762. The total cost of the project

is therefore USD 1,125,760.

The architectural construction costs were 40% of the above total cost, or USD 450,304.

C. Comparative costs

Not applicable.

D. Qualitative analysis of costs

Owing to a lack of fully detailed construction drawings indicating all dimensions, it is

difficult to ascertain the actual size of the buildings. According to the data obtained by the

previous Reviewer, the total built-up area is 841.5 square metres or USD 535 per square

metre.

E. Maintenance costs

The electricity is solar generated and the power is stored in dry batteries for use at night.

Rainwater is collected and channelled into a filtration system before being stored in

underground water tanks. It is purified before being used by the guests for washing. For hot

water, solar panels are used.

At the moment there are no real maintenance costs as the imported equipment and systems

are still relatively new. All minor repairs are undertaken by the maintenance man, Ali. As

time goes by, the situation with regard to maintenance will become clearer.

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To date, no major remedial work has been required for the structure or the finishes of the

buildings. There have been minor repairs of leaks and so on. The makuti roof has not been

renovated at all.

VI. Technical Assessment

A. Functional assessment

Generally, the Chumbe Island scheme functions well as an eco-resort project. Most of the

visitors to the island are impressed with the design of the buildings, the preservation of the

coral reefs and the extensive marine life. The rustic furniture designs and the overt use of

traditional products within the framework of modern architecture does look a bit contrived.

Bungalows: These structures are interesting and are certainly a viable form of

accommodation for eco-tourism resorts. Many who enjoy ‘roughing it’ and have an affinity

with nature would find this development extremely exciting. However, separating the

bathrooms from the sleeping lofts may not be such a good idea. The lofts are wide and deep

enough but lack headroom.

Education Centre: This is probably the most exciting and impressive structure on the island.

It welcomes every visitor and is sufficiently high up to be visible from approaching boats: a

dramatic introduction to the resort. The old structure is well integrated into the new and

functions well within the framework and purpose of the building. The upper floor is superb as

an extension of the lower area. The exposed structural members provide an interesting

decorative effect on the interior surface of the roof. The harmonious space of the roof form is

impressive. The modulation of light on the curved surfaces, depending on the time of day, is

magical. The various functions of the centre seem to work well; the space is large enough to

accommodate a range of uses.

B. Climatic performance

The fact that the project does not rely on electricity to provide comfort for the residents is a

major advantage, while the fact that the resort is self-sufficient in the sustainable provision of

power is also very positive. The buildings incorporate features for effective climatic control:

the sweeping roofs protect the occupants from sun and rain while encouraging breezes, and

the orientation of the bungalows allows them to take advantage of the prevailing winds. The

fact that the resort closes for maintenance during the monsoon season contributes to the

efficient functioning of the scheme.

C. Response to treatment of water and rainfall

Rainfall collection and water treatment are well thought out, and the fact that this island has

no additional water supply but has been functioning for a number of years indicates that the

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systems provided are adequate. Used grey water is treated and released into a drip-irrigation

system to keep plants moist.

D. Environmental response

The Chumbe Island resort responds very well to its environment. The native flora and fauna

are flourishing. The managers must be very careful in what they try to achieve, as in trying to

complement nature they may end up with more problems than they had bargained for.

E. Choice of materials and level of technology

The choice of materials is completely appropriate; any other material would be wrong in this

location. The only worrying aspect is the service equipment installed on the site. While the

intention is to provide environmentally friendly, sustainable systems in this sensitive eco-

system, repair and replacement problems with the European products might jeopardize this

very philosophy.

F. Response to and planning for emergency situations

Provision of emergency safeguards is very poor. However, it may be wrong to judge safety

standards in Zanzibar or Chumbe against those of the developed world. There are no

emergency call buttons in the bungalows, which are located some distance from the main

building, but this seems to be the standard practice in Zanzibar, where hotels do not tend to

provide a means of contacting room service or the reception and vice versa.

Fire extinguishers are provided at some strategic locations outside the bungalows. There are

no provisions for disabled visitors.

G. Ageing and maintenance problems

Annual maintenance takes place when the resort closes for the monsoon season. So far, the

native materials appear to be ageing well and seem to be durable. However, there do appear

to be signs of termite attacks and fungal infestations owing to the humidity, and there are

signs that the facilities may be overused, with evidence of wear and tear.

Sibylle Riedmiller refuses to use any type of oil-based preservative for the timber structures

as this could pollute the water and kill the coral.

H. Design features

The design and construction features of the project are described above.

1. Impact of the project on the site

There has been no vehicular impact on the site and no conventional infrastructure installed.

2. Durability and long-term viability of the project

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The project could be durable and viable in the long term, providing the managers continue to

maintain it to the current standards and providing no natural disasters hit the region.

3. Interior design and furnishing

Using local raw materials – wood, plant fibres and local textiles – for most of the furnishings

was appropriate from an eco-friendly point of view. The modernized interpretation of

traditional architectural forms could have been complemented by slightly more sophisticated

furniture designs, but presumably the skills and experience of the local craftsmen dictated the

form of the furniture.

VII. Users

A. User profile

The intention of this project was to benefit and educate Zanzibaris. The way they fish the

seas, using explosives, ‘beach seine’ nets and poisonous juices from utupa roots, means the

number of fish is depleting rapidly. This project educates students about the importance of

conservation as part of the cycle of sustainability of the marine ecology and therefore the

supply of fish.

This project is concerned not simply with the conservation and preservation of the marine

ecology but with the more pragmatic – and so hopefully more achievable – goal of educating

the local population to respect the resources of the sea and to fish in a sustainable manner.

With stable fish stocks comes a continued supply of protein and sustenance for the people of

Zanzibar. There will be food for the people and income for the fishermen.

It is still too early to see the benefits of this project. However, it has prompted the Zanzibari

government to create a marine park conservation area of its own to the north of Zanzibar,

called Mnemba Island. This information was provided by the former Permanent Secretary to

the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources, Saleh Sadiq Osman. He also

confirmed that the Chumbe Island project was viewed positively by the government.

The architecture of this project has distinguished itself as an icon for those interested in

tropical tourism, especially those who are drawn to the ocean. It has attracted many people to

the island and has won numerous awards for excellence, including the British Airways

Tourism for Tomorrow Award 2000. The income generated from tourism and such awards is

being ploughed back into the project. Without this regular income it would be impossible to

keep the project going, as currently about thirty-five members of staff are employed,

including the rangers who patrol and watch over the waters. They keep the local fishermen

and poachers at bay, explaining to them why what they are doing is wrong before sending

them on their way.

Without these sources of income, the conservation of the coral marine world would not be

possible. The architecture of this resort is therefore very important and interrelates with the

bigger picture of conservation.

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B. User response

1. How do architectural professionals and cultural intelligentsia view the project?

The Reviewer was not able to ascertain the response of local architects but architects

elsewhere who were shown pictures of the project were impressed and thought Chumbe was

quite fantastic.

2. What is the popular reaction to the project?

A South African lawyer, Phil Snigman, specializing in environmental law, and his wife

Annakye have visited Chumbe Island. They had the highest praise for the resort and offered

to assist with any legal advice on environmental issues. Another South African, Willem

Goosen, from the Tanzanian National Bank of Commerce, had just returned to the main

island with his wife, and both were impressed with what they had experienced on Chumbe.

Of course, the former government official, Mr Osman, was full of praise for the project and

felt that it would spawn many more such endeavours for the benefit of Zanzibari fishermen.

The general manager of the Mbweni Ruins Hotel (Zanzibar), Vivienne Bekker, lends her

support to the project by facilitating access to and from Chumbe Island, with boats departing

from and landing on the hotel’s private beach.

3. What do neighbours and those in the vicinity think about the project?

Almost everyone in Zanzibar seems to know the project and has positive comments to make.

The education officer at the resort, Lisa Baum, is from England and volunteered to help after

reading about the project in a travel magazine. She is halfway through a two-year stay.

One member of the Tanzanian Parliament who had been the Permanent Secretary in the

Ministry of Education indicated that he had never heard of Chumbe Island, which seems

extraordinary.

VIII. Project personnel

A. Identification of project personnel and their roles in the project

Client: Sibylle Riedmiller

Architects: Per Krusche, Georg Fiebig, Jan Hulsemann

Craftsmen and traditional workers: Abdi Haji Ussi and Ali Bashiru. The latter assisted during

construction and is the current maintenance manager. He is good with timberwork and

mechanical and engineering services.

Jimmy C.S. Lim

May 2004

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Chumbe Island Zanzibar, Tanzania – 2001 report by Arya Abieta I. Introduction

The Chumbe Island Coral Park is an example of sustainable architecture that helps to preserve a pristine coral island for future generations. An uninhabited island, 12 kilometres south-west of Zanzibar Town in Zanzibar, Tanzania, Chumbe covers an area of approximately 20 hectares. The island is dominated by coral rag forest, with trees growing out of naked fossilized coral, and bordered on its western shore by a coral reef of exceptional biodiversity and beauty. Seven eco-bandas (huts) and a visitors’ centre have been carefully placed within the forest. The buildings respond to the island’s unique natural environment through sensitive use of local building materials and innovative environment-friendly technology, which ensures sustainability of the island’s ecosystem. Each building functions as a decentralized, self-sufficient unit, generating its own water and energy. Sewage is treated with composting and filter systems. The design – a free-spanning lattice-shell structure using locally available resources – was developed and built by local builders to achieve the best possible climatic and structural performance. Since 1998 visitors have been welcomed to Chumbe Island, either to stay for the day and explore the island’s natural beauties or to stay for a few days in the bandas. The local community of Zanzibar and other guests are invited to explore the reef sanctuary and the forest reserve on Chumbe Island to better understand nature’s wonders. Former fishermen have been trained as park rangers to educate the local community on the benefits of respecting the reef sanctuary and forest reserve in an otherwise heavily overexploited area.

II. Contextual Information a. Historical background

The island is currently uninhabited, except for the park’s staff and volunteers. From the 1900s until the early 1990s a lighthouse-keeper was resident on the island and during the 1960s Chumbe Island became part of a military security zone, which may explain the undisturbed state of both forest and reef. In 1993 management of Chumbe Island was entrusted, through management agreements, to Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd (CHICOP). CHICOP also leases some of the land on the island for commercial purposes. The coastal communities in Tanzania and Zanzibar depend on fishing for their survival. However, there is little evidence of traditional reef management or any awareness about the limitations of this resource. Decades of unsustainable fishing methods have had a significant impact on the diversity of the marine flora and fauna in the area. To help improve this situation, the Chumbe project aims to provide environmental information, education and training to schoolchildren, local government officials and people who depend on the marine environment for their living. This programme is funded by profits from a tourism operation.

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In 1994, on the initiative of CHICOP, the west-coast reef of Chumbe Island was designated a reef sanctuary, and the forest was declared a closed forest by the government of Zanzibar. This created the first marine park in Tanzania. In 1995 a Management Plan 1995–2005 was produced, which has guided the project operations ever since. CHICOP is registered with the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) and was chosen for presentation at the EXPO 2000 World Exhibition in Hanover, Germany, for its achievements in private conservation area management and innovative eco-architecture. The Chumbe Island Coral Park project has been awarded the 'British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Award 2000' and the ‘Global 500 Award’ of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).

b. Local architectural character

The traditional architecture of the villages on Zanzibar is characterized by single-storey houses built in a traditional wattle of kasuarinia poles covered with mud. Roofs are constructed with makuti, a locally produced thatch made from palm leaves. When the first traders arrived from the Arabian Peninsula in the tenth century the use of coral blocks and lime as building materials was introduced to the East African coast. At the end of the eighteenth century, with the growing influence of the Omani Empire in East Africa, rich merchants brought multi-storey Arabian architecture to Zanzibar Town, with flat roofs and massive walls. When Sultan Sayyid Said from Oman moved his residence from Muscat to Zanzibar in 1832, his palace and government building on the Shangani Peninsula were constructed in the Arabian style. Soon this area of Zanzibar was called ‘Stone Town’, standing in contrast to the buildings of the local population made from traditional materials. Today, more and more people use cement blocks and corrugated iron sheets to build their houses. However, in the countryside, the so-called ‘Swahili house’, made from locally produced materials, is still predominant.

c. Climatic conditions

The climate of Chumbe Island is much the same as that of Zanzibar as a whole which lies in the tropics about 6° south of the equator. Its hot and humid climate is characterized by the prevailing monsoon winds. There are two main seasons defined by the direction of the prevailing wind: between June and September the prevalent winds are from the south-east and between December and February the north-east. At other times the winds are variable. There are two rainy seasons: the short rains between November and December and the long rains occur between April and the end of May. The annual rainfall is between 1,500 and 2,000 millimetres. The maximum temperature is around 27°C in July/August, rising to 33°C from December to March, and the minimum temperature is around 22°C.

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d. Site

Chumbe Island is formed entirely from ancient coral reef, now elevated above sea level and weathered to produce a low-lying island, roughly oval in outline, with its long axis running roughly north–south. It is approximately 1.1 kilometres long and 300 metres wide at its widest point. Its total area is 20 hectares. There are no watercourses or permanent freshwater pools on the island. Most of the island is forested with vegetation in its natural state. The coral reef on the western shore is particularly notable for its excellent condition, diversity of coral and abundance of fish. There are historical buildings on the island, such as a lighthouse, built by the British in 1904 and fuelled since 1926 by a gas system. These massive buildings are made from coral stone with red earth mortar and chalk rendering. A protected historical mosque has been left untouched and is still used by the Chumbe Island staff. This is one of the few examples of Indian mosque architecture in Zanzibar, and was built for the Indian lighthouse-keeper by the community at the turn of the twentieth century. The project site lies on the island’s western side – its only open area – covering approximately 2.4 hectares. The bandas are located here. The island can be accessed only by boat. A little peninsula creates sheltered landing spots in sandy bays either to the south or north of the visitors’ centre, depending on the monsoon season.

e. Topography

Chumbe Island has a massive coral rag base, with a maximum height of 5 metres above the intertidal flats, which falls dry at low tide. The overall site is almost flat, sloping slightly towards the lighthouse area. The ground is very rocky and porous, with spiky coral stones where it was not covered with sand at the time the lighthouse was built.

III. Programme

The project is non-commercial although the operation of the island follows commercial principles to raise revenue through profitable eco-tourism and related activities in order to fulfil the scheme’s objectives. The overall aim of CHICOP is to create a model of sustainable conservation where eco-tourism supports conservation and education. To this end, all infrastructure development on the island is based strictly on state-of-the-art eco-architecture and environmental technology. The client asked the architects to carry out construction with a small team of local workers, the fundis. The Management Plan 1995–2005 stipulated that the impact of any development within the leased area must be minimized through use of appropriate environmentally sound technology, such as solar power, solar water-heating, rainwater harvesting, compost toilets, and grey water and compost filtration and recycling. All materials used for construction must be brought to Chumbe Island rather than obtained from the island itself, with the exception of

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any rock excavated during the laying of foundations. To minimize the impact on the natural ecosystem, cutting down trees to clear building sites was strictly prohibited and, during construction, the amount of building workers was limited to about twenty-five workers at any one time.

The architects’ brief itself was quite simple in terms of the accommodation required. The real challenge was to find the best way to create a unique destination that would give visitors a chance to experience and understand the beauty of the natural environment on Chumbe Island. The brief required the architects to find the best design solution for standard guest accommodation with sitting areas, private sleeping areas and modern bathrooms with hot water; and a visitors’ centre with teaching facilities, a restaurant, kitchen, bar, office, first-aid room, recreational areas and verandas. But at the same time, they had to create an appropriate development with minimum impact on the environment, using the best locally available materials, and technology compatible with the capabilities of traditional workers.

IV. Description a. Building data

The Chumbe Island development consists of guest accommodation, a visitors’ centre and staff accommodation. The guest accommodation comprises one single-storey and six double-storey bandas with, on their lower floor, a sitting area and three-outlet bathroom with basin, compost toilet and hot-water shower, and on their upper floor, a spacious sleeping space and luggage corner. The visitors’ centre was created by enclosing the old lighthouse-keeper’s house within a new domed roof. The centre accommodates a reception area, office, restaurant, kitchen, classroom and veranda on the lower floor and a spacious multi-use area on the upper floor. Three staff houses with bathroom facilities are located close to the lighthouse, and temporary buildings to accommodate park rangers and a workshop are located close to the jetty.

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Area calculation: Net floor sizes Total Square Metres Square MetresBandas Lower level approx. living 19.00 bath 3.50Upper level 12.50 Total, one bandas 35.00 Total, seven bandas 245.00 Visitors’ centre Ground floor, old house hall 45.00 restaurant 26.50 classroom 18.00 office 17.00 store 9.00 115.50Ground floor, kitchen 40.00 40.00Ground floor, veranda East 40.00 South 40.00 West 55.00 North 70.00 205.00Upper floor 110.00 110.00 Total, visitors’ centre 470.50 Other Staff houses Four rooms 40.00 toilet house 7.00 47.00Ranger hut (temporary) 47.00Workshop (temporary) 32.00 126.00 Grand total 841.50

b. Design concepts

It is interesting to analyse the evolution of the design concept from the preliminary stages through to the final scheme. The preliminary scheme could be seen as a direct architectural solution to the client’s needs, providing as much overnight guest accommodation as possible,

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with twelve bandas, and a further two rooms in the service tower. The massing of the buildings was more solid, influenced by Arab architecture. However, this solution created problems in terms of conservation of the environment, requiring more space to build, more power for ventilation and more non-natural materials, such as cement blocks for walls and roofs. The built scheme, with a total site coverage of 2.4%, was more sensitive to the environment conservation issue – the main concern of the project. The individual bandas, their location and architecture, particularly their openness, placed greater emphasis on providing an experience of being in harmony with nature. The bandas structure is a creative solution to the basic need for shelter. The roof not only provides protection from sun and rain but also works as a wind-catcher with controllable ventilation shutter, as well as catchments rainwater, which are channelled into the filter system. The raised ground floor of each bandas offers protection from water and insects and optimizes views, while also housing a rainwater cistern as part of a self-sufficient service system. On the lower level, is the living room and bathroom area, and on the upper level is the sleeping area, equipped with a luggage compartment, reading table and insect net, and the ventilation shutter is controlled from this level. For privacy and for maximum integration with the natural environment, the architects placed every bandas at the edge of the forest facing the sea. They are arranged so that each has an unspoiled sea view and is oriented to capture the seasonal winds for maximum cross-ventilation. Shutters, partitions and furniture are made from bamboo, reeds and branches – materials used locally to produce fish traps, mats and household articles. Coconut and mininga wood have been used for boards, shelves and tables. The floor is decorated with coloured cement rendering with an infill of ceramic tiles with marine motifs. For the visitors’ centre, the team of architects had the idea of reusing the lighthouse-keeper’s house, preserving as much as possible of the existing structure. They successfully experimented with the lattice-shell structure used for the bandas, in order to find a form to enclose the old house. The enclosure was created by joining six single bandas canopies to produce a broad clear-span dome. Openings have been added to the north and south and existing windows and doors have been widened to accommodate the new functions of the building. The six arched roof modules shade a well-ventilated veranda. Beneath one of the vaults is a kitchen. Structural wooden beams are used for both an upper deck above the old house and the new veranda, forming a multi-use space with a splendid view. The complex is surrounded by the natural landscape of the island. The only trees planted were coconut trees to replace old trees, and non-invasive plants that are heavy consumer of nutrients, which were planted in the grey-water outlet garden.

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c. Structure, materials, technology

The innovative roof structure system developed by the architectural team for the bandas and visitors’ centre is the most significant part of the project. It is a successful combination of local materials and construction techniques with modern architectural form. The shape was dictated by the limitations of the materials available, local construction technology and the need to utilize the roof not just as protection from sun and rain but as a wind-catcher and rainwater harvester to channel water to the filter system. The lattice-shell structures are built with common local materials – kasuarinia-tree poles for the main trusts and mangrove poles for the beams, joined with coconut ropes. The innovative idea used to create this structure was to bend the freshly cut kasuarinia trees to form lattice-shell structures. Therefore no additional load-bearing framework was needed to support the roof shell itself. The joining together of the bandas structures over the visitors’ centre produced a dome with a clear span of 21 metres between the footings and 30 metres between the openings. The shell is covered with makuti thatching – traditional large shingles made from coconut leaves. The footings of the kasuarinia lattices were anchored in cement concrete, but after five bandas were built it was discovered that the poles were becoming damp. To resolve this problem, the architects were forced to use steel plate as an intermediary between the poles and the base structure for the final two bandas and the visitors’ centre. The poles of the other five bandas were cut one by one to avoid structural problems and steel plate was added as a joint to the base structure. To avoid the use of iron reinforcement, which would be subject to corrosion, the rainwater cisterns for the bandas and the visitors’ centre were built from earth bricks with addition of some percentage of cement, covered with a dense cement plaster as waterproofing. An internal partition supports brick arches to cover the cistern. All floors and walls are finished in coloured cement rendering, and on the floors of the bandas pieces of broken tile are inserted to create an ornamental pattern. Upper platforms, stairs, fences and hand railings are all constructed from local wood using local techniques. All the bandas are protected by a ‘termite groove’, about 70 centimetres above ground level, which runs around the base of the building. Termites tend to nest in this groove and are found and removed by the maintenance staff.

Each building functions as a self-sufficient unit, generating its own water and energy through rainwater harvesting and filtration, solar water-heating and photovoltaic electricity. Sewage is treated by using composting systems, and plant beds utilise the grey water. There is no problem with waste water, as the treatment systems used on Chumbe Island produce fertilizer and irrigation water for gardening.

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Small decentralized solar-battery power systems provide 12-volt electricity for lighting in the huts. The visitors’ centre has its own solar-generated lighting. When necessary AC/DC converters enable operation of television sets and video recorders for educational purposes. Chumbe Island has no source of fresh water other than rain. Therefore rainwater harvesting represents the most feasible source of water for showering and washing. From the roof of each building, rainwater is funnelled via sandstone filters into cisterns, which form the base of each of the guest huts and part of the visitors’ centre. The large size of the cisterns, approximately 15,000 litres, enables water storage during an average rainy season sufficient to provide the hut with water during the following dry season. Water for showering is heated by a solar-water heater at the rear of the huts in the ‘technic tower’. Grey water from the bathrooms is directed into a coral-stone-filled ventilated water tank. Here the first stage of microbial decomposition takes place through the process of oxygen enrichment. The water is then collected in a small reservoir, which empties within twelve hours via a drip-irrigation system. The whole system, including pipes and reservoirs, is screened from insects. The irrigation hoses lead to vegetated soil beds with sealed bases. Soil bacteria in the humus completely purify the nutrient-rich water. Specially adapted plants absorb the water continually, keeping the ground porous and supporting microbial decomposition. The compost toilet system on Chumbe Island is based on the Swedish ‘Clivus Multrum Compost Toilet System’, which provides sixty years of successful operation. Human waste is not flushed away with water but falls directly into a hermetically sealed container. A ventilation system enables aerobic decomposition to take place inside the container. During the composting process the organic waste is transformed into fertilizing soil and a complete decomposition of all germs takes place. The waste is reduced to one-sixth of its original volume. The completely closed chamber is screened from insects. The toilet seats are tightly sealed, hygienic and easily cleaned. The ventilation exhaust is located above the roof level and the suction in the ventilation pipe enables an odour-free environment. At approximately six-month intervals, a small amount of soil is removed from the compost chamber and used as fertilizer.

d. Origin of technology, materials, labour force, professionals

Most of the construction technologies used on this project are commonly known and used in the region. However the combination of different elements in a complex way in one small building is a new approach. The architects’ experiment in bending the fresh-cut kasuarinia trees to make construction poles is a successful innovation.

One of the most important objectives of the project is to protect and conserve the intertidal marine ecosystems within the Chumbe Island reef sanctuary. This means that none of the materials used for construction should have a negative effect on the ecosystem and, to this end, natural materials should be used as far as possible. Not a single thing from the island can be used as a building material, with the exception of coral excavated during foundation work,

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and all materials have to be imported from outside the island. All the materials used for the project comply with these stipulations.

The key materials are:

− earth-cement block, produced on Zanzibar and tested for strength at the local institute

of technology. − wood selected on the basis of traditional usage and market availability; kasuarinia

pole was chosen because of its size – narrow in diameter and up to 10 metres in length – and because it is easy to bend, shows good resistance to termites and grows in plantations on Zanzibar.

− makuti thatched roof, made from coconut leaves and used locally as roofing material.

Steel and other metals are unsuitable due to corrosion, but the architects were forced to use steel in some cases as an intermediary between the kasuarinia poles and the cement foundations, as galvanized steel was unavailable. All of the workers employed for construction came from Zanzibar. Only a few masons and carpenters were sufficiently experienced and most of the workers were trained during the construction process. They were employed as day labourers, living and working on Chumbe Island, with a limit of twenty five workers on the island at any one time. After completion of the project, some of the workers were employed permanently as maintenance officers, housekeepers or boatmen, and most of the others found work in the local building industry on Zanzibar. The small size of the project and the limited budget forced CHICOP to minimize the number of professionals involved, mainly to the three architects, who took responsibility for design, building supervision and project management. They were employed at different times: Georg Fiebig from June 1994 to December 1995, Jan Hülsemann from March 1996 to July 1998; and Per Krusche throughout the project as special advisor for ecological planning and low-energy architecture. All the architects are German and consider themselves to be a team. They were assisted by ongoing input from workers and friends of the project, who provided valuable information throughout the design and construction process.

V. Construction Schedule and Costs a. History of the project

In 1992, Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd (CHICOP) was founded by Sibylle Riedmiller to create a marine park on Chumbe Island. In 1993 an area of 2.44 hectares on the island was leased to CHICOP for a period of thirty-three years. At the time, Georg Fiebig, an architecture student, and Jan Hülsemann, a master carpenter and architect, were working for the Stone Town Conservation and Development Authority (STCDA) in Zanzibar. Fascinated by the beauty of Chumbe Island and by the idea of creating a model of sustainable conservation supported by eco-tourism, both of them assisted CHICOP in evaluating the site and developing preliminary ideas. Georg Fiebig presented these ideas in his student project to

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his tutor, Professor Per Krusche, head of the Institute for Sustainable Architecture and Settlement Planning, Braunschweig, Germany. Professor Krusche saw the possibility of making Chumbe Island a pilot project for eco-architecture in Africa. After convincing the owner that they were suitably experienced in planning and designing sustainable architecture, the architects developed the overall plan for the island together with Ms Riedmiller. After their conceptual design had been finished and approved by the owner, the architectural team signed an agreement in June 1994. Georg Fiebig became the full-time architect on site, responsible for design development and site supervision. The first stage of development was the design of the accommodation, the bandas. Construction of the first bandas began in August 1994. After eighteen months Georg Fiebig finished his assignment and his responsibilities were taken over by Jan Hülsemann in March 1996. After completing construction of the bandas, Jan Hülsemann started to develop the design of the visitors’ centre. Construction of the centre began in August 1997 and was completed in May 1998. Throughout the design and construction process, Professor Krusche acted as consultant in Germany. The Chumbe Island resort became fully operational in July 1998.

b. Cost and financing

According to the records prepared by CHICOP, the total investment was approximately USD 1 million. Two-thirds of the investment costs were financed privately by the project initiator. The investment was spread over eight years and included all initial costs, a series of biological surveys, land surveys, training, educational programmes, development of infrastructure and building up of the coast. Several components of the project – such as construction of the visitors’ centre, a biological baseline survey, and the Adres’ Duikers sanctuary, park ranger boats and a nature trail – were funded by donors. These included GTZ-GATE, GTZ-EM, the German Tropical Forest Stamp, EC-Microproject, the Netherlands Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, the WWF Tanzania, the International School Schloss Buchhof, the Zoo Munich-Hellabrunn and Chicago Zoological Society among others. Their donations made up the final third of the investment costs. There are no records available that give more detailed information about the funds received from the donors. According to the architects’ record, the actual costs for construction were as follows: Infrastructure: USD 23,000 Labour: USD 64,000 Materials

local: USD 68,000 imported: USD 33,000

Professional fees: USD 83,000 Total cost: USD 271,000 Actual cost per square metre USD 355.41

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c. Maintenance costs

Because the buildings are self-sufficient, with their own solar panel and battery, rainwater cistern, compost toilet, etc. a full-time expatriate technical manager is employed on the island – unusual for a hotel as small as this. However, most of the materials employed are natural and commonly used locally and are therefore inexpensive to maintain. According to management information, after almost three years’ operation, the resort can cover its maintenance costs and still make a profit.

VI. Technical Assessment a. Functional assessment

Perhaps the most ingenious functional achievement on this project lies in the exploitation of the potential of kasuarinia pole and the construction techniques developed to create a modern lattice-shell structure. The large dome created by combining six lattice vaults serves to cover the old house, creating a spacious area with surprising vistas at the lower and upper levels, at the same time promoting cross-ventilation.

b. Climatic performance

The bandas and visitors’ centre receive ample natural light. The buildings are oriented to capture the sunlight, which illuminates almost all areas of the bandas and visitors’ centre all day. The skylight and six big openings in the visitors’ centre draw in light to the upper-floor area, and even inside the classroom and dining room there is sufficient sunlight. All the buildings are oriented according to environmental conditions – sun and wind directions – and to provide the best sea views. The lattice-shell structures are designed to act as wind-catchers and they work sufficiently well as a solution for a tropical eco-tourist resort. However, this orientation towards the wind, combined with their open structure, means that during heavy tropical rain the living areas on the lower floors of the bandas become wet and the visitors’ centre, especially the south-west veranda, cannot be used as water reaches almost to the walls of the old building. Fortunately this generally only happens during low season at the resort. As far as insect control is concerned, the only insects that cause a problem are mosquitoes and termites. As the structures are open, mosquito nets are hung over the sleeping area, also protecting against anything else that might drop from the ceiling onto the sleeping area. The termite groove, combined with good housekeeping discipline, works very well.

The photovoltaic electricity system provides only the very minimum of light. In the bandas there is one 12-volt bulb in each room – just enough light to lift the room out of total darkness. However, this system does create a natural ambience, especially during the candlelit dinners in the visitors’ centre.

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The hot water is only 3–4˚C above the air temperature, and the hot-water tank, elevated by 5.5 metres, provides water pressure of less than 1 bar. This is a situation that guests have to understand – they are, after all, supplied with all modern conveniences, even if they are below international hotel standards. To keep water consumption to a minimum, a special controllable hand-held shower is installed that stops flowing when it is mounted on the wall. As a result, in almost three years of operation, with yearly occupation from 12.2 to 28.3 per cent, the resort has experienced no water supply problems. The water supply is sufficient even when occupation reaches its maximum, because the cisterns reach their full capacity of 15,000 litres after only four to seven days of heavy rain. There is a problem, however, with the water quality, as the makuti roofs stain the water a yellowish colour. This is not toxic or harmful in any way, but does make some guests feel uncomfortable. As an environmentally friendly solution to this problem, the team are experimenting with Moringa oleifera, known as the purifier plant, which clears the colour from the water: this system is currently being laboratory tested. Management data shows that after almost three years of operation, there have been no serious problems with the compost toilet system.

c. Choice of materials, level of technology

The choice of materials and development of a site-specific technology were important. The buildings had to be easy to construct and maintain and use common local resources. To this end, the architects carried out a material survey. One factor that was crucial was that the architects had to act as full-time site supervisors, not just organizing the construction but adjusting and solving problems as they arose on site.

d. Ageing and maintenance problems

Because the buildings are mostly constructed from natural materials and depend on their own service systems – solar panel and battery, cistern, compost toilet, etc. – the architectural team prepared a maintenance schedule and technical information book. This gives simple and clear instructions for tasks that need to be carried out every day or every other day, with an additional trouble-shooting section. An expatriate technical manager is employed full-time on the island to maintain the systems and solve any problems.

e. Design features

The architecture of the resort underlines Chumbe Island’s unique character as a landmark in the Zanzibar Channel. The features of the buildings strictly follow the technical and environmental requirements of the island’s climate and its status as a marine nature reserve.

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VII. Users a. Who uses or benefits from the project?

The Chumbe Island Coral Park provides environmental information, education and training to the following groups: Park rangers: The hands-on approach in capacity-building and monitoring through inexpensive on-the-job training of local fishermen by volunteers has produced very competent and committed park rangers. They manage the reef sanctuary simply through the use of persuasion on their fellow fishermen. Fishermen: The rangers educate fishermen by stressing the role of the protected area as a breeding ground for fish. This has proved very successful. Village fishermen now generally respect the park boundaries and report that catches outside the boundaries have increased since the establishment of the sanctuary. Government officials: The project has also helped to raise conservation awareness and understanding of legal and institutional requirements among government officials. Seven government departments were involved in negotiating the project in its initial phase. Other issues demanding government attention subsequently arose, including intense discussions of the Management Plan 1995–2005. This has boosted political support and prepared the ground for improvements in the legal framework. Schoolchildren: Island excursions are provided free of charge to local schoolchildren. This is organized in cooperation with local NGOs in Zanzibar. Many of the children come from schools within fishing communities and benefit from learning about the resources that support their families’ and possibly their own future livelihoods. Eco-tourists: One of the rules of staying in the resort is to respect the environment and live in harmony with nature and this helps guests to learn to appreciate nature. Visitors to the island are offered a wide range of nature experiences, such as guided snorkelling along marine trails or guided walks along forest trails to the intertidal zone and mangrove cave. These activities are supplemented by environmental exhibits and information in the visitors' centre.

b. User Response

From the guest book, it is evident that most of the guests appreciate the project and its efforts to preserve the island and the coral. Most of them like the huts and are surprised and delighted to have the opportunity to live so close to nature. The friendliness of the staff provides a very different experience to other parts of Africa. People coming from the everyday world of busy cities find an atmosphere that is truly in harmony with nature. Saleh Sadiq, Director of Fisheries at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources and Issa Mlingoti, Director of Tourism Planning and Development are both very proud of this project, especially as it is the first privately operated conservation project in

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Tanzania, and salute the operator. They admire the project for overcoming the contradictions of operating a resort for a very specific target market while at the same time guarding the island’s pristine coral from destruction and operating a free education programme for schoolchildren.

VIII. Persons Involved

The client of the project was Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd (CHICOP), with Sibylle Riedmiller as project director, project initiator and part investor. The architectural team comprised Georg Fiebig, Jan Hülsemann and Per Krusche. Professor Krusche and Mr Fiebig were involved at a very early stage, working voluntarily before being fully employed by CHICOP. Georg Fiebig and Jan Hülsemann acted not only as architects but also as site supervisors and project managers on site. Professor Krusche acted as special advisor on sustainable architecture. The three worked as a team, each giving their best involvement to the project. The local technicians, masons and carpenters who made a big contribution to the project included Abdi Ussi, master carpenter, Jumbe Askari, Ali Bashiru, Juma Musa, Jussuf Mlabu, Omari Nyange, Ame Khatibu, Muhidin Khamis and Omari Ndogo. Bububu Building Brigade was the earth cement brick maker and Helmut Finkeldey was the expert for the solar-power installation.

Arya Abieta May 2001

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