We envision a ‘Children’s House’ in Africa, as a warm and welcoming place where activities focused on preventing child malnutrition can be conducted in a rural setting. The children are the focus of this design. They are the very thing the villagers are investing on through this project to create a better future for their homeland. As a result, the project’s design is revolving around their concerns. The concept is to consider the program as a sponge with its voids as recreational spaces, allowing children to move among different qualities of space with various opportunities. The village and its elements (paths and houses) inspired the design to create a familiar space for them and develop their sense of security. In addition, to better accommodate with climate, the buildings rotate and move within the site so that they can catch the wind. The flooring is designed to help the drainage and storage of water.
The flooring also drives some of the water to the unoccupied lands in case of future cultivations. (so that hopefully, the nutritional aspect of the program can be more localized in the future). We mostly used local materials, forms, and construction techniques to ease the building process. In addition, we put religious matters into concern. The hospitality part of the program is divided into two main and separate spaces with enough room for mothers to stay if necessary.
To create a sense of openness, numerous openings have been incorporated into the walls. These openings allow children to observe the outside world and other parts of the project while remaining within the room. This design fosters a connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, encouraging curiosity and engagement. Moreover, the openings enable staff to maintain better visual supervision of the children as they move through the site, enhancing safety and security.
Given the region’s hot climate, we took special care to shelter recreational spaces from the sun and heat. These areas are roofed with local fabrics, which provide shade and keep the spaces cool and comfortable. The fabrics serve not only a functional purpose but also add aesthetic value to the design. Their vibrant colors and patterns reflect light onto the ground, creating dynamic and lively visual effects that enliven the environment and contribute to the overall atmosphere of the facility.
the project combines practical solutions with cultural sensitivity and aesthetic considerations to create a sustainable, respectful, and enriching environment for the community.
