A Modular System that Encourages Educational Growth
This school concept was commissioned for a competition to design a new school for children in a developing community of Uganda. The Abramson Architects team created LINK, a school that creates a connection between education and the people. It is an important component of the community, encouraging interaction and exchange.
The shape of the classroom was designed for ease of connecting individual links into a larger school campus. Each classroom link can stand individually, and the flexibility of linking the classroom components allows the school to grow as the student body increases or as finances allow. The assembly of the links also creates a courtyard for the students and the community.
The structures are made of local materials that are readily available in Uganda. Local laborers can erect the classroom without any special knowledge. Each classroom is fully enclosed by brick walls and a sloped roof.
Water is collected off of the roof of each classroom and transported to a water storage container via the gutter linking the individual roofs. This water is used for agricultural training in the school garden. The classrooms are kept cool with overhangs that reflect warm sunlight away from the structure. Fresh air ventilation and natural light are plentiful in each classroom, and can easily be adjusted with individual shutters. The provision of a Dutch entrance door with an operable transom allows for additional flexibility while maintaining a secure classroom.
