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Would you send your kids to a "conventional concrete" school building or a sustainable Afrocentric one?

Education is a major part of our lives, from the time we're born to the time we die. Young children spend most of the hours in a day within the confines of school buildings. Conventional government-owned school buildings (at least in Nigeria) can easily be identified by the way they look - usually a rectangular block of classes with red brick walls or yellow painted concrete walls and green coloured doors, windows or roofs. If you've never seen one, two examples are shown below.


But have we ever stopped to ask ourselves, or even ask the children that spend most of their time in there, what experiences these buildings shape? Are children excited when they wake up in the morning, knowing that they would need to walk, cycle, take the bus or be dropped off by their parents at a rectangular plain building for the rest of the day? Or do they dread it and beg their parents to stay home instead?

Well, if the latter feeling is the more predominant one, architecture has the potential to change it to a more positive one. School designs in Africa are gradually getting a new signature style. This style incorporates modern construction methods and high-tech materials with traditional building materials in an exciting manner. Below are some examples that would make anyone want to be a child again just so they'd have the privilege of experiencing space within and around such buildings every day.

Gando Primary School, Burkina Faso - Francis Kere Architects

Econef Children's Center, Tanzania -Asante Architecture & Design, Lonnqvist & Vanamo Architects

Econef Children's Center, Tanzania -Asante Architecture & Design, Lonnqvist & Vanamo Architects

LAAFI Nursery School, Burkina Faso - Albert Faus
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  1. Nmadili Okwumabua21 July 2020 at 21:34

    This is the architecture, these are the images, and these are the smiles we long to see on the faces of our children! I clearly remember going to school in Nigeria and experiencing the 'other' type of architecture that we have become so familiar with. Not pleasant at all! We encourage more architects in Africa to be inspired by this article, and the research produced by the likes of New Culture, CPDI Africa, JU:KO, kmtspace, DCH, ArkiAfrika and so many more that are pioneering the conversation in African centered architecture. With respect to the science and technology mastered by our forefathers and mothers, let us preserve our culture in our architecture, and solve so many of the challenges we now face in our built environments! #newarchitecturecurriculum #africadefinesarchitecture #theafricanarchitect

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    Replies
    1. Adelaja Fawaz22 July 2020 at 06:38

      Yes. Really interesting read... And indeed we need to preserve our culture through architecture.

      Delete
    2. Usman Lawal Audi29 July 2020 at 06:40

      Yeah I couldn't agree more. It shouldn't be limited to just schools, all government buildings too, we can help the environment by using recycled materials to build as well. I particularly like the pictures I saw from Uganda, I would love to be taught in such an environment even as an adult.

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