Our Goal

We want to help create an environment which serves the school community, providing a learning experience which is as enjoyable, fruitful, and uplifting as possible.

The typical school building in northern Burkina Faso is made of cement block, with a tin roof. It provides a place to learn, but can get very stifling and uncomfortable in hot season. We are looking into models that would help put architecture at the service of the community.

The school building should be:

• Academically stimulating : encouraging student engagement

• Physically comfortable : reducing climatic impact

• Socially empowering : creating community-building space

• Aesthetically pleasing : displaying beauty

• Environmentally friendly : made with appropriate materials

Progress

Architect Richard Woods and about 10 of his colleagues from Capita, are designing the school, and have come up with an innovative and attractive design that will create a good learning environment for the children in classes that will be cooler than the standard model. Richard has been to visit Gorom-Gorom, and has spoken with the local teachers, pastors, builders, and architects, and everyone is very enthusiastic. The design includes:

• Using local materials and innovative design techniques to make an attractive building with a vaulted roof.

• Outside shaded study areas and meeting places,

• A courtyard with garden

• Housing for 6 teachers,

• A kitchen and toilets for the chldren

• Play areas and soccer field

• Possibilities for water harvesting (see below), solar water heating and electricity generation, composting toilets

Because of the new technical aspects of this design, it will need some expert supervision, and this is what has slowed things down. We are in discussion with potential partners to look at the practicalities, and thus to get a better idea of the overall cost, and programme for construction.

We didn't find water on the school land, and now are looking at rain water harvesting. We hope to set up a system of collecting water during the rainy season (eg from the school roofs) and collect it in an underground cistern. This could then be pumped up to a small water tower for filtering and feeding to a standpipe.

If you would like to support the School Building Project, please Click Here.