The Knowledge Box
Giving the Gift of Education
Our project team have approached this project from the perspective that in much of the world education is not as readily available as it is for us in the developed world and as such is highly valued by those who receive one. This view, along with our idea for a modular system that would open up to reveal the classroom inside, from which an education could be gained lead to the concept of our classroom being a Knowledge Box which would give it’s recipients the gift of education.
Our classroom is based on a 3.6m x 3.6m module, that can be linked together in any number of configurations. Each module will have a steel RHS frame which will allow for flexibility of wall panel layouts. The roof of each module will have a skylight built in to provide natural lighting, as well as the ability to mount photovoltaic panels to provide electricity to the classroom. The modular design of the units allows for them to be deployed in any number of ways starting from a single unit to serve a remote village in the African wilderness, to 3 units forming a larger classroom with attached cloakroom, to a series of triple units to form a whole school. Each unit is supported on a series of four (4) collapsible trusses, that extend as needed to ensure that the classroom is set up level, no matter what the ground conditions are, meaning that the units are able to be rapidly deployed when needed in an emergency situation. Due to their portability they are able to be deployed in any number of situations, including parks, carparks and even atop other buildings in highly developed cities.
It is envisaged that each classroom module comes complete with a technology suite including laptop computers, with storage area and an interactive white board with projector mounted on the ceiling. Each classroom will be equipped with a wireless network access point which will form a wireless mesh network throughout the school, with a satellite or wireless connection to a local internet service provider. This network could also form the basis of a wider community internet network, providing low cost internet to the adjoining community, with the income used to put back into the education service.
Summary of materials to be used in construction;
• Structural Frame Galvanised Steel
• Floor Bamboo Ply on timber joists
• Wall and Roof panels Composite Insulated sandwich panel (Flat color-coated steel to exterior and PVC panel to interior)
• Floor Coverings Recycled Carpet tiles
• Wall Coverings Autex Quietspace
• Exterior Joinery PVC
• Glazing Double glazed safety glass.
• Decking Composite decking
• Shade Screens Aluminium

Location