Building a Competitive Edge: Why Malawi’s Architects Must Prioritize Local Innovation
Key Business Points
- Adopt a transformative mindset to design infrastructure that aligns with Africa’s cultural, economic, and climatic realities.
- Embrace local and sustainable solutions, incorporating indigenous materials and ancestral knowledge to reduce environmental damage and costs.
- Prioritize research and development to create homegrown innovative solutions that are agile, adaptable, and resilient to withstand crises.
Malawi’s business community is being urged to shift its approach to design and construction, with a focus on local and sustainable solutions that can meet the country’s infrastructure and housing needs. According to Zambian Institute of Architects President Musunka Silungwe, architects must adopt a transformative mindset to design infrastructure that aligns with Africa’s cultural, economic, and climatic realities. This includes moving away from over-reliance on imported materials such as iron sheets and concrete blocks, which are not only expensive but also damage the environment.
Bold action is needed to address Africa’s projected population growth, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where the majority of the world’s population will be African in the next 25 years. Silungwe emphasized that the responsibility for finding solutions lies with African professionals, rather than relying on outside advice that has not worked in the past. Transport and Public Works Minister Jacob Hara also challenged architects to come up with homegrown innovative solutions, saying that Malawi’s infrastructure must be agile and adaptable to withstand crises.
The Malawi Institute of Architects (MIA) is collaborating on projects to develop climate-resilient infrastructure tailored to different regions of the country. The institute’s immediate-past president, Khumbo Chirwa, said that the goal is to apply sustainable design principles across the country, incorporating locally available materials and research. This year’s AGM is being held under the theme ‘Sustainability in Construction: The Need For Flexibility and Adaptability’, highlighting the importance of flexibility and adaptability in design and construction.
As Malawi’s business community looks to the future, it is clear that embracing local and sustainable solutions will be crucial for driving economic growth and investment. By prioritizing research and development, and incorporating indigenous materials and ancestral knowledge, Malawi can reduce its reliance on imported materials and create a more resilient and adaptable infrastructure. With the right approach, Malawi can reclaim its dignity through design and meet its infrastructure and housing needs in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way, a key principle of Mudzimu wamERİ, or "guardian of the land".
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