Malawi
The character of traditional Japanese architectural elements emphasizes the local identity of this shop in Japan.
elementary school
education, architecture
We imagine a place that inspires children to be green leaders. A place that sparks sustainability and reuses where kids are introduced to methods of living more in harmony with nature. The school is inspired by the butterfly to represent the adventurous spirit of children wandering and exploring their new sustainable journey.
Campus
The school campus is designed into 3 types of modules representing the school, teacher houses, and student dormitories that are carefully distributed in a zigzagging layout. This configuration creates a sequence of courtyards, each with its own unique features. A courtyard for cooking, meeting, entertainment, playing, and gardening. Interesting vistas of the surrounding nature strike through the campus. To further encourage outdoor activities in the courtyards we introduce an informal shuffled butterfly pergola.
The module for school and teachers’ housing is accessed through a lobby. The outdoor study is stimulated through flexible walls that open as doors allowing a more fluid experience between inside/outside.
Pattern
Underneath the butterfly-shaped roof, a weave of colorful African-inspired patterns dresses the façade. Although we propose a certain type of pattern we highly encourage the local community to design a pattern of their own liking and weave it together to strengthen the sense of community. Big drawings of animals paint the buildings and create a sense of joy from nature. We can imagine kids talking about the lion’s den or the fish building.
Structure and materials
The school is a showcase of how sustainable methods of building can be something to enjoy rather than something that deprives of. Rainwater is collected from rooftops and distributed to water containers that are submerged. They are made into canvases to celebrate creativity and art. Solar panels are spread out across structures representing trees made from bamboo. Tires are collected from old cars and reused in a set of surprising ways. Creating furniture pieces, play elements, and planters.
The school becomes a beacon of sustainable design and seeks to deploy a way of thinking: Become more environmentally responsible without losing your cool.
TAKE U CHI+M 