KASHITU SCHOOL design & build

Project idea

Designing a school with an interesting space and respect for local culture and environment on an originally open and flat site is a significant challenge. The East African Rift Valley, as a spectacular geographical scar on Earth, showcases the powerful shaping power of nature with its unique geological structure and vast scale. When designing this Zambian high school, I was touched by the deep and inclusive form of the Great Rift Valley.
The sinking space simulates the longitudinal depth and spatial hierarchy of the Great Rift Valley, just like the natural cracking of the earth. The staggered steps on both sides, resembling rock walls, guide people to naturally shuttle through them, creating an open and enclosed place for communication. Just like the Great Rift Valley has nurtured diverse ecology and civilization, this sunken space will also become a campus "ecological source" for students' ideological collision and vitality gathering, allowing buildings to carry multiple functions of education and communication while echoing the natural wonders of the region.

Project description

Zambia is a land where the splendor of nature coexists with the constraints of resources. As a great miracle of the earth's surface, the Great Rift Valley, with its deep ravines and rich layered landforms, shows the unparalleled creativity and tolerance of nature, and has become the core inspiration for the design of the secondary school.

The sunken space of the secondary school cleverly mimics the morphological features of the Great Rift Valley. It breaks the conventional layout and creates a unique three-dimensional space in the center of the campus. The depth of the sinking forms a staggered relationship with the surrounding buildings, as if the earth is naturally cracked, forming an enclosed and open place of communication. The perimeter of the main building is supported by cantilevers and columns of the iron roof to create an outer corridor for people to move freely.

From a functional point of view, the steps on both sides of the sunken space are like the rock walls of the rift valley, which can be used by students to climb and shuttle between the steps, and can also be used as a temporary platform for rest and communication. The central area is decorated with greenery and small water features, simulating an oasis of life in a rift valley, adding vitality and vitality to the campus. It is not only a place for students to relax and interact between classes, but also a multi-functional space for campus cultural activities and academic exchanges.

The sunken space of this secondary school is a modern interpretation of the natural wonders of the Great Rift Valley, and a vibrant and creative campus for Zambian students with limited resources.

Technical information

In the selection of building materials, combined with the local resources of Zambia, the use of traditional adobe bricks and corrugated iron sheets and other materials not only reflects the regional characteristics, but also ensures economy and practicability. The structure of the façade and sunken space constructed by these materials is in harmony with the surrounding natural environment, making the campus building a unique expression of the interweaving of nature and humanity in this land.

Documentation

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