ARCHITECTURE
Architecture and academia come together to create a brighter, more sustainable future across the African continent
Africa’s new academic boom
The Technology School of Guelmim
Where: Morocco
Who: Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana
Striking a profound balance between rectilinear restraint and theatrical light play, the Technology school of guelmim by architects saad el Kabbaj, driss Kettani and Mohamed amine siana is an inspired facility in the country’s south. While the school’s geometry serves as a modern interpretation of the Moroccan architectural vernacular, it also functions in a very practical fashion: cantilever overhangs and voluminous forms serve to create cooling planes of shade and ventilation to counter the region’s extreme heat. There is an undeniable academic gravitas to the monolithic structures, from familiar clay-toned facades to the all-white interiors of the classrooms, amphitheatre, workshops, TP rooms, administration buildings, library, lecturer’s offices and staff accommodation.
The Botswana Innovation Hub
Where: Botswana
Who: SHOP Architects
When shop architects revealed The Botswana Innovation hub, it seemed like the makings of science fiction. The three-fingered interconnected block is a feat of engineering and design unparalleled by any project in the region. The facility is located on a 140acre site near the airport in the capital city gaborone, and unlike other technology parks in the country (or around the world), it is built to embrace the city and the people living in it. once fully completed and in operation, the building will serve as a space for research laboratories, tech companies, small start-ups, and a business school. But it is not all just business with the facility. With a large auditorium, bar, and lounges throughout the facility, the team ensured that the space also allows for spontaneous encounters and socialising.
Fass School and Teachers Residence
Where: Senegal
Who: Toshiko Mori Architect
The Fass school and Teachers’ residence in eastern senegal by new York-based Toshiko Mori architect is the first school in a region of over 110 villages to provide secular education alongside traditional Quranic teaching to students aged 5 to 10. The project is the result of a collaboration between TMA and the Josef and anni albers Foundation and nonprofit Le Korsa, who alongside TMA conducted years of discussions with local village leaders. The building’s oval shape and inner courtyard were inspired by traditional architecture from the region, utilising locally-sourced bamboo and thatch as well as mud bricks formed on-site. The thatch roof is pitched to direct rainwater into a canal that encircles the building and empties into a nearby reservoir. spacedbrick walls ventilate the four classrooms and two flexible spaces, creating a comfortable school environment despite the region’s extreme climate.