Office Address
109 Clovelly Rd, Greenside.
Johannesburg. Gauteng. 2193.
South Africa.
Earth Architecture Competition: A School for Tanzania
Competition entry in collaboration with Verushka Reddy of Archisess
Building typology: Preschool, Early Childhood Development Centre
Year Completed: 2017 – 2018
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Shule Ya Kuba or the Vault School was designed to generate a lived experience of vernacular earth architecture by using the age-old technique of timbrel vaulting. This is achieved by assembling three layers of compressed earth bricks with fast setting mortar to create thin earthen vaults. This type of structure uses a single building system that is cost effective, environmentally friendly, durable, quick to construct, and that can easily be replicated.
The school has been organised in the shape of a crescent to harmoniously integrate with its natural terrain by allowing its highest point to gently progress to its lowest through a series of inter-connected ramps. The crescent is framed by the entrance at its higher end and the dining hall at its lower end in the form of a lightweight bamboo shell.
The classrooms have an airy and barrel vault like interior with shared courtyards to allow lessons to spill into the outdoors. Large bay windows are used to overlook the main courtyard with smaller more playful windows overlooking the vegetable gardens. The gardens and landscaping were designed to pay homage to the greater context of Mt Kilimanjaro and is expressed in a terraced and organic form that mimics the volcanic craters. At its core Shule Ya Kuba was planned to not only meet the basic needs of the children who will use it, but rather to exceed expectations in showing that you can do more with less by pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved with seemingly ordinary materials.
The school has been organised in the shape of a crescent to harmoniously integrate with its natural terrain by allowing its highest point to gently progress to its lowest through a series of inter-connected ramps. The crescent is framed by the entrance at its higher end and the dining hall at its lower end in the form of a lightweight bamboo shell.
The classrooms have an airy and barrel vault like interior with shared courtyards to allow lessons to spill into the outdoors. Large bay windows are used to overlook the main courtyard with smaller more playful windows overlooking the vegetable gardens. The gardens and landscaping were designed to pay homage to the greater context of Mt Kilimanjaro and is expressed in a terraced and organic form that mimics the volcanic craters. At its core Shule Ya Kuba was planned to not only meet the basic needs of the children who will use it, but rather to exceed expectations in showing that you can do more with less by pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved with seemingly ordinary materials.
