with Twelve Forty One (UK)
Education can be perceived as a synonymous to opportunity; it multiplies the possibilities of life beyond here and now through learning. The importance of sharing within the process of learning can offer deep forms of growth which should not be confined only to the classroom but extend to a vast array of spaces and activities, both physical and mental.
The proposed arrangement for the new school in Sambou Toura Drame follows this framework. A dialogue between canonical classroom and dynamic studying blurs the boundaries between the two and offers new forms of learning.
The main metaphor for this approach is the space of the library which is formed by the external portico. It is a multidisciplinary shared space, screened by a colourful palette of shades which are used to filter the light in a playful manner.
The library is wrapped around the perimeter of the classrooms and along with the canteen and kitchenette area, forms the main space of interaction. Harvesting tanks in this area provide water to the wider local community intensifying the social character of the communal areas.