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Alien
STATUS
Concept
What we – foreigners – can propose to Africa? Something “vernacular” or “smart” which it hasn’t asked for? We - foreigners – do think that we know better how to do everything - build, manage, rule, educate. We believe that our idea(l)s will definitely improve everything. But whether everything is needed to be improved at all?
(Academic) Education has been introduced to Africa in the beginning of the 20th century. This education is Western par excellence. Smart white man brought order and system. He started to impose educational matrix on locals. But have locals started to live better?
To build a Western school in Kenya is a priory to propose something Alien. This building indeed is destined to be alien in this context. It is ridiculous to design something “African-like”. It is better not to try to be contextual at all – to make lobotomy.
The concept is strict separation between local and foreign. The former is the plot - ground, the latter is the building - school.
The ground is picturesque, colourful, irrational, vernacular. It is Africa, the motherland which is equipped with many functions – playgrounds, sports fields, gardens, workshops, even small farm - teaches its children how to live and use its gifts. For example, in Workshops children may learn how
to make traditional Kenyan clothes, musical instruments and pottery; in Kitchen -cook food; in Farm deal with cows and goats, etc. All the landscape elements here are made of local materials and in local traditions.
The building, in contrast, is faceless, white and banal. It is absolutely windowless from the outside. Containing all the academic facilities it is erected above the ground and approachable via a ramp. Simple 90-degree plan scheme is flexible and ideal for ever changing educational philosophies. Rectangular classes – which suite to any educational style – with open galleries are arranged around empty square courtyard. Simplicity of everything – façades, plan, colour – is the key word here.
The contrast between the building and the ground is vivid and reinforced everywhere. The only point in which the two philosophies are merged is the grand circle pond - pool. It is designed in multi-coloured tiles the pattern of which reflects traditional Kenyan ornaments. Here there is no war. Like animals during a drought – both predators and their perspective victims – are all drinking from the same source without conflicting with each other, vivacity of the ground and geometry of the building are united in the multi-coloured perfect circle of the pool. This place is of perennial use. In fall and winter it is a (swimming) pool. In spring it is empty and serves as multi-functional space. In summer like a huge reservoir it collects all the flood water from the plot, thus keeping the ground free from flooding.
In the movie «The Gods must be crazy» that bottle of Coke has almost ruined small African community. Whether the new building is the «bottle» or the two Words can make an equilibrium?
The question which only life can answer...
(Academic) Education has been introduced to Africa in the beginning of the 20th century. This education is Western par excellence. Smart white man brought order and system. He started to impose educational matrix on locals. But have locals started to live better?
To build a Western school in Kenya is a priory to propose something Alien. This building indeed is destined to be alien in this context. It is ridiculous to design something “African-like”. It is better not to try to be contextual at all – to make lobotomy.
The concept is strict separation between local and foreign. The former is the plot - ground, the latter is the building - school.
The ground is picturesque, colourful, irrational, vernacular. It is Africa, the motherland which is equipped with many functions – playgrounds, sports fields, gardens, workshops, even small farm - teaches its children how to live and use its gifts. For example, in Workshops children may learn how
to make traditional Kenyan clothes, musical instruments and pottery; in Kitchen -cook food; in Farm deal with cows and goats, etc. All the landscape elements here are made of local materials and in local traditions.
The building, in contrast, is faceless, white and banal. It is absolutely windowless from the outside. Containing all the academic facilities it is erected above the ground and approachable via a ramp. Simple 90-degree plan scheme is flexible and ideal for ever changing educational philosophies. Rectangular classes – which suite to any educational style – with open galleries are arranged around empty square courtyard. Simplicity of everything – façades, plan, colour – is the key word here.
The contrast between the building and the ground is vivid and reinforced everywhere. The only point in which the two philosophies are merged is the grand circle pond - pool. It is designed in multi-coloured tiles the pattern of which reflects traditional Kenyan ornaments. Here there is no war. Like animals during a drought – both predators and their perspective victims – are all drinking from the same source without conflicting with each other, vivacity of the ground and geometry of the building are united in the multi-coloured perfect circle of the pool. This place is of perennial use. In fall and winter it is a (swimming) pool. In spring it is empty and serves as multi-functional space. In summer like a huge reservoir it collects all the flood water from the plot, thus keeping the ground free from flooding.
In the movie «The Gods must be crazy» that bottle of Coke has almost ruined small African community. Whether the new building is the «bottle» or the two Words can make an equilibrium?
The question which only life can answer...
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