Floating Music Hub, Mindelo (MFS™ IV): A Cultural Platform on the Atlantic
The Floating Music Hub in Mindelo, Cape Verde, is a cultural platform celebrating African creativity. Designed by NLÉ using the Makoko Floating System (MFS™), it features prefabricated, modular timber construction for sustainable water-based architecture.
Key Features:
Innovative Floating System: The Makoko Floating System (MFS™) offers a lightweight, sustainable, and modular building approach designed for diverse water conditions.
Creative Empowerment: Promotes Cape Verde's cultural heritage, fostering music and the arts while creating social and economic opportunities.
Global Significance: Expands NLÉ's African Water Cities initiative, introducing the MFS™ to the Atlantic Ocean for the first time.
Project Details:
Type: Multipurpose Performance Hall, Recording Studio, Food & Beverage Bar, and Public Plaza
Location: Mindelo, São Vicente, Cape Verde
Project Year: 2023 (Scheduled Completion)
Size: 779 m²
Promoter: ADS Group, ADS Cabo Verde & Mansa Development
Partners: Afrochampions Initiative, Enapor
Collaborators: AECOM, AISTER, Dykstra Naval Architects, CFA, JMP, KRJS, OCF, SEFI, SINA, Lucas Santos, Editson Viera
Design Highlights:
Sustainability: Modular, prefabricated timber elements ensure adaptability and ease of assembly.
Cultural Identity: Pays homage to Cape Verde’s vibrant music culture and rich heritage.
Unique Experience: Combines art, architecture, and nature, offering spaces for live performances, creative work, and social interaction.
Inspiration:
The Floating Music Hub stems from NLÉ’s mission to innovate cities and communities through sustainable architecture. It is part of the acclaimed African Water Cities project, addressing urbanization and climate change challenges.
This project builds on the legacy of the Makoko Floating School in Lagos, Nigeria (2013), evolving the concept into a globally adaptable system that has been implemented across five countries on three continents.
Awards and Recognition:
Venice Biennale Silver Lion (2016): Recognizing the groundbreaking Makoko Floating System.
About NLÉ:
Founded in 2011 by Kunlé Adeyemi, NLÉ is a design and development practice dedicated to innovating cities and communities. With offices in Amsterdam and Lagos, NLÉ combines research, architecture, and multidisciplinary expertise to create impactful solutions.
Key projects include the Makoko Floating School, Shenzhen Stock Exchange, Qatar National Library, and Floating Music Hub. NLÉ’s work has garnered international recognition, including awards from the Design Museum London and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.
Learn more about NLÉ at www.nleworks.com.