LIFE LEARN UGANDA

A RURAL PRIMARY SCHOOL ADDITION IN UGANDA

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY :

Connecting students through knowledge to unite as a community. An educational environment where the children of Uganda can come together in a modern and traditional sense, to learn and teach each other new things through positive social interaction and a connection with the natural world. To explore. To create. To solve problems. To experience. To gain learning skills for life.

DESIGN:

Multi-optional space - The classroom can be used as a formal learning space, informal discussion space, outdoor classroom, play space, practical hands on learning and lab space, performance space, quiet/individual learning environment, and community platform.

Encourages positive social interaction, through flexible uses. Lightweight furniture can be rearranged to create different social learning environments, organic outdoor areas create different spaces for mixed uses, and allows for development of social skills and sharing of knowledge.

Interaction and inspiration from the outdoors, through use of open walls. The natural landscape paints the backdrop for our learning environment, and encourages a positive relationship with nature. Organic forms of the steps work with the natural environment to blend in with the landscape.

Building design instils a sense of security and a feeling of being nurtured, without feeling trapped inside, in the way that the building wraps around, semi open and semi enclosed. It creates a place for children to be children. Where they feel comfortable and have peace of mind.

Use of traditional cultural elements in the design of the building, (rounded huts, thatched roofs, basket weaving), connecting history and identity through building design.

Inspiring creativity within the children with aesthetic details in the roof and windows – which allow a greater amount of light to enter and create interesting shadows and patterns.

MATERIALS:

Strong focus on low cost low tech, innovative and environmentally friendly building materials and techniques.

Stabilised Soil Blocks (Mud Blocks): strong, economical blocks made from a mixture of soil and a small quantity of cement to stabilize them.
A soil block press purchased from Magika, a Kenyan engineering company, will be used to produce the blocks, using the clay earth onsite.
These particular blocks are very economical, as they interlock in such a way that reduces the amount of mortar needed to stick them together.

Adobe Earth Flooring: A combination of clay, sand and finely chopped straw, spread on a subsurface of gravel. Sealed with a layer of drying oil. A low cost, and sustainable way of creating a floor that still keeps heat in, and is also beautiful, reflecting colours of natural landscape.

Eucalypt Timber: For columns as central support, and the frame of the roof structure. Also used as timber planks to produce the fold out walls and support struts for them. Eucalypts are grown as a sustainable plantation timber in Uganda – and does not involve the logging of any old growth forests.

Thatched Grass Roof: Use of local/traditional building technique. Primary reasoning for this material was low cost, and also to draw upon traditional aesthetic of building design.

Bamboo Gutters: Bamboo as a strong material for carrying water, gutters to be used as water catchment, for use in an onsite agriculture area, and in the future, for catchment of drinkable water (this requires further budget for a proper filtration system).

Furniture Construction: Primarily produced from Eucalyptus timber, with a few smaller elements such as scissor joins and hinges to be purchased from local hardware suppliers. Simple designs involve low tech construction, to be easily produced by the community (ie no complex curves, minimal details).

Soft Furnishings: Use of traditional weaving techniques to create decorative elements to the classroom, maintaining a traditional element to the design of the school. Throw cushions and floor mats to be constructed to give colour and atmosphere to the classroom. To be produced by local artisans.

MASTERPLAN

To facilitate the education philosophy of practical life skills, there will be focus on indoor and outdoor activities such as agricultural skills specific to Uganda, through a sustainable garden, coupled with cooking areas and water collection.

The building can be arranged in many formations, dependent on the site, and needs of the community. The earth used to create the bricks, will be excavated on site, this is what allows for a small drop and the creation of the organic curved terraces/steps. These steps and different levels can also be joined between classrooms to create more of a flow between the buildings. The classroom can also be used as community building, and can host large group meetings in the outdoor terraced area.

An example of just one masterplan layout, is the loop formation. This allows for a feeling of safety through transparency, and visibility between classrooms. It also shelters to a degree in a central area. The further development of positive social interaction between students will be facilitated by the combining of these areas, play areas from one classroom linking with play areas of another classroom. Uses of rooms can be adapted to suit the needs of the growing school.

Location