Matteo Cainer Architects’ National Museum of Afghanistan is a ‘Timeless Cube’ of Sustainable Design for Kabul

Mainstream media makes it hard to believe, but Afghanistan has a rich cultural heritage that transcends war and terror, and <a href="http://www.matteocainer.com">Matteo Cainer Architects</a> believes its residents deserve a sustainable tribute. 'Timeless Cube' is a monolothic cubic structure designed to host the National Museum of Afghanistan. It is carefully oriented on a Kabul site to take advantage of sunshine and the prevailing breeze, and it features a host of sustainable attributes which can all be <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/local-materials/">constructed using local materials and labor</a>.

Afghanistan needs a reminder of its glory days of art and culture

So MCA has designed a sustainable new museum called 'Timeless Cube'

Openings in the monolithic cube permit daylight

The museum is carefully oriented to maximize sunlight and only indigenous species are planted

Water features ensure a comfortable microclimate during hot summers

Rainwater harvesting and recycling helps to conserve water