The renovation process at the Mbare Art Space began with a small room attached to the Tank Building, which was previously one of the few double-storey structures in Mbare. It was designed with an industrial typology focused on functionality rather than aesthetics.  The upper storey was dedicated to storing beer tanks, accessible via a ladder through a hatch, while the ground floor housed toilets and a kitchen with roller shutters opening up to the courtyard. This functional layout was adapted during the renovation process. The beer tanks were repurposed into water tanks to supply the project. 

With the support of a grant from the European Union a pitched roof was added, perfectly angled for solar panels, and the attached room was renovated, to serve as a temporary Artlab for artists to conduct research and manage small administrative tasks like printing. 

Most structures of the former Chiweshe Bar were designed purely by functionality, following the rational and repetitive construction patterns of the Southern African Building Company. 

The Star Building is one of the most prominent structures within the Mbare Art Space compound. Built as the Chiweshe Bar Lounge it features an octagonal star at the centre of the whole property, designed by South African architect Darrell Bertrand Smith. The structural steel frame is complemented by solid rock walls surrounding a central chimney, with no direct views into the space; only receiving light through high-level windows.

A soft refurbishment which included removing a serving counter was undertaken, to open up the passage through the building from East to West. Large stack-fold doors were added to allow light and air into the space. Following the geometry of the roof beams, track lights were installed to equip the space for exhibitions and other events.

The main entrance to the Mbare Art Space is now through a former delivery gate, allowing a four metre wide passage for pedestrians and cars. Opening up access in this way serves as a gesture to rewrite the narrative of control associated with portals in the previous era. The Northern portal is used as a staged entrance on occasions such as the European Film Festival.

Patrons were granted exclusive access to the former Chiweshe Bar through two narrow portals - one on the northern side and the other on the southern side.  These entryways as architectural features, distinctly positioned the beer outlet as a space of heightened control. They created a landmark for orientation, with their height protruding above the boundary wall. 

While the arched ceiling referenced stately architectures, the actual opening was restricted to a standard door frame size. The horizontal expansion of the passage through the wall intentionally elongated the entryways, creating a tunnel-like proportion.