Architecture of Zimbabwe

The architecture of Zimbabwe is composed of three architectural types: the Hill Complex, the Valley Complex, and the Great Enclosure. Both traditional and colonial architectures have influenced the history and culture of the country. However, post-1954 buildings are mainly inspired by pre-colonial, traditional architecture, especially Great Zimbabwe–inspired structures such as the Kingdom Hotel, Harare international airport, and the National Heroes' Acre.

Homesteads in Zimbabwe have remained largely unchanged since the time of Great Zimbabwe. A village in Chapungu Sculpture Park uses tall grass as a natural fence, similar to the Hill Complexes of that time. The structure of the wall combines natural and artificial elements to provide a safe space for residents. Traditional houses, especially in rural areas, still have thatched roofs with mud walls, similar to structures dating back to the stone-walled huts of Great Zimbabwe. Even earlier village huts and settlements were usually constructed from clay and sticks with conical thatched roofs. A homestead will usually consist of two huts — one for cooking and the other for sleeping.

In modern times, the walls of houses are usually built of coursed, sun-dried bricks, with rectangular doorways and brush roofs. As a result of European influence, there are now rectangular buildings with concrete walls and corrugated iron roofs. Walls are occasionally decorated with geometric designs that carry religious and symbolic meaning. For both security and decoration, iron fences are increasingly popular. The traditional practice of constructing high sleeping platforms, cooking benches, and seats continues today. Most storage huts are made from branches and sticks, which make them less sturdy than cooking or residential huts.

During the farming season, people move from their village residences to their farmhouses. Farmhouse huts are located near the fields and consist of lean-tos made with wooden sticks, resting on stilts up to nine feet tall and accessed via ladders. They are sturdy enough to support an entire family.

Residential areas generally consist of circular huts arranged around an open space, which serves as a courtyard for fire-making and revealing the presence of wild animals or other intruders. For the ruling classes, stone walls surround the family areas. Kitchens are always built in the center of each family area, with a well-decorated and painted sleeping hut nearby. There are also spaces for livestock and storage, with granaries built high-up to prevent dampness and deter insects and rodents.

During the second millennium BCE, two conventional styles of stone architecture dominated the architecture of Zimbabwe. The first style was Great Zimbabwe period architecture, which was an extension of natural elements. The well-coursed and thick stone walls were constructed on earth foundations. Well-shaped stones were used to define the external and internal surfaces, while irregular stones were used to fill interstices. Affluent people often lived in residences with nattily-constructed stone enclosures, but with crudely coursed walls are still being a part of the structure.

The second style is exemplified by Khami’s retaining walls that transform natural elements into built environments. Although structures of this period share some similarities with those of earlier periods at Great Zimbabwe, it is important to note the introduction of the retaining walls. The wall's top supported residential platforms with a profusion of herringbone, chevron, and checkered decor. A grouping of ten terraced platforms in Khami indicate a palace. Both Great Zimbabwe and Khami share some similarities of architectural design, with their differences being influenced by topography, weather, and the availability of building materials.

Post-modernism is considered an attempt to rebuild a relationship to the past. It can also be seen as a re-creation of the community using vernacular forms; it tries to highlight the concepts of identity associated with local cultures that were marginalized by modernism. Since 1990, several monuments and buildings constructed in Zimbabwe exhibit features of pre-colonial architecture. They can be seen as architectural styles vitalized by Zimbabwe's rich historical and archaeological inheritance, and highlight the role that heritage can play in contemporary architecture.