Special Mention: Mozambique Pre-School Competition
The Xai-Xai District Inclusive Pre-School is an educational sanctuary for marginalized and vulnerable children on the fringes of society. Whether wheelchair-bound, visually impaired, albino, living in extreme poverty or with other physical or hidden disabilities, this is a safe space where isolated children can thrive.
The design is arranged around the existing Marula (or proposed Mango) tree. The concept originates from the African tradition of teaching in-the-round and a history in which so many activities take place beneath the shade of a tree. The adaptable pre-school shares everything: the site shares the tree; the classrooms share the building; the children share their storage. Across all scales, the concept of sharing in-the-round prevails to exclude exclusion.
The pre-school is an educational playground where children are immersed in and engaged by their environment. The scheme, fully protected from the elements beneath connecting roofs, works with the existing topography to seamlessly weave the inside into the natural environment and adopts sustainable technologies throughout—including stack ventilation in the pantry, kitchen and toilets. Aqueducts and water tanks reveal the cycle and movement of potable water, while a ramped paddling pool doubles-up to irrigate the orchard. Here, pupils will learn about food and agriculture, water-conservation, energy and taking care of the planet in accessible and sensory adapted spaces. Positioned close to the entrance, the centrally located offices will welcome everyone in whilst having a view of every class. The retention of the central tree speaks to the plight of deforestation while allowing pupils to connect with the cultural significance of the tree in Africa.
The project incorporates local, accessible materials such as clay, wood, raffia, rebar, and stone. Its design champions accessible and standardized construction techniques so that from the traditional compressed clay floor to CEB and raffia elements, everyone, particularly women, can be involved in its realization.
The project seeks empowerment both for the pupils and the community so that everybody—without discrimination of age, sex or background—can be involved in delivering what could be viewed as a prototypical, inclusive pre-school that not only Xai-Xai but also Mozambique can be proud of.
The adaptable pre-school is a place where every child has a safe space to discover, learn and grow, where whatever disadvantage they are born with, they are supported and their abilities are fully recognized. Every child has the right to education, not only for themselves but for the future of humanity.
This competition provided participants with the opportunity to work on the creation of a school in an underdeveloped country. Not only that, but in this case, the school was designed for disabled and socially excluded children, making the challenge even bigger.
The goals of the project were as follows:
EDUCATE: The objective was to create a place where kids could start their educational journey. Efforts were made to make them feel at home by designing a space where they felt comfortable. Kid-friendly spaces were built that were completely safe for them—a school where they could learn, play, run, and discover.
INTEGRATE: Given that the school would accommodate disabled children and kids in social exclusion, it was fundamental to work on their integration into society. This was addressed through architecture by creating adapted spaces where they didn't feel rejected. The aim was to establish a dynamic school where they could interact with each other and the surrounding environment.
BE SUSTAINABLE: The projects had to use locally sourced materials, employ easy-to-build construction systems, and be self-sufficient in energy terms. They had to be respectful of nature to teach the kids the proper way to interact with their natural environment.