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Shaped by Climate: Senegal Secondary School
Shaped by Climate: Senegal Secondary School
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Other Projects by Khaled M. Abou Taam - KMA Atelier
Shaped by Climate: Senegal Secondary School
STATUS
Concept
SIZE
5000 sqft - 10,000 sqft
BUDGET
Unknown
Project Name: Shaped by Climate
Awarded: Semi - Finalist
Firm: Khaled M. Abou Taam - KMA Atelier
Lead Architect: Dr. Khaled M. Abou Taam
Architects:
Jana Hjeij
Jad Ghannam
Media & Press: Katia Abou Taam
Organizer: Archstorming
Location: Djilakh, Senegal
Design year: 2026
Footprint area: 505 sqm
Floor: 1
Tools used: AutoCAD, Sketchup, Twinmotion, Photoshop
The proposed secondary school in Djilakh is conceived as a simple, climate-responsive, and human-centered learning environment. Shaped by the realities of a rural Senegalese context, the project is rooted in the local landscape, construction culture, and community needs, beginning from what already exists and must be protected: the land, the trees, the climate, and the people.
At the heart of the site stands a group of mature trees, which are preserved and become the organizing element of the project, making nature the generator of architecture. Two linear wings are placed on both sides of the trees, forming a central courtyard. This courtyard is not only a social space but a key climatic device acting as a shaded ventilation spine. It facilitates natural airflow, creating a comfortable microclimate while serving as an outdoor classroom, circulation space, and thermal buffer where students can learn and rest under natural shade.
The school is conceived as a modular system responding to limited resources and future expansion. Construction is organized in clear phases. The first phase includes the right wing with four classrooms, an administrative area convertible into an additional classroom, storage spaces, restrooms, and a covered veranda. The second phase adds the left wing with two additional classrooms and a multipurpose hall. Composed of repeatable modules, the school grows gradually while remaining easy to build and maintain. The final phase completes the school through landscape elements, orchards, a playground, and a small football field, reinforcing the connection between education and daily life.
Sustainability is a design driver, guiding the project through passive strategies such as linear building forms, shaded verandas, controlled openings, generous ceiling heights, and cross-ventilation, enhancing natural ventilation, daylight, and thermal comfort. Material selection prioritizes local availability and earth-based construction for thermal mass. Stabilized earth blocks, compacted cement-stabilized soil, straw, bamboo, galvanized metal sheets, steel, and concrete are combined in a clear system buildable by local workers. Special emphasis is placed on the roof, the project's main environmental driver addressing the NGO's key concern. Inclined roofs collect rainwater, while a layered system of straw insulation, ventilated bamboo, and lightweight metal sheets ensures thermal protection. The system is designed to be easily replicated in other rural contexts.
Above all, the project aims to create a safe, dignified environment where architecture is an active tool for learning, resilience, and community growth.
Awarded: Semi - Finalist
Firm: Khaled M. Abou Taam - KMA Atelier
Lead Architect: Dr. Khaled M. Abou Taam
Architects:
Jana Hjeij
Jad Ghannam
Media & Press: Katia Abou Taam
Organizer: Archstorming
Location: Djilakh, Senegal
Design year: 2026
Footprint area: 505 sqm
Floor: 1
Tools used: AutoCAD, Sketchup, Twinmotion, Photoshop
The proposed secondary school in Djilakh is conceived as a simple, climate-responsive, and human-centered learning environment. Shaped by the realities of a rural Senegalese context, the project is rooted in the local landscape, construction culture, and community needs, beginning from what already exists and must be protected: the land, the trees, the climate, and the people.
At the heart of the site stands a group of mature trees, which are preserved and become the organizing element of the project, making nature the generator of architecture. Two linear wings are placed on both sides of the trees, forming a central courtyard. This courtyard is not only a social space but a key climatic device acting as a shaded ventilation spine. It facilitates natural airflow, creating a comfortable microclimate while serving as an outdoor classroom, circulation space, and thermal buffer where students can learn and rest under natural shade.
The school is conceived as a modular system responding to limited resources and future expansion. Construction is organized in clear phases. The first phase includes the right wing with four classrooms, an administrative area convertible into an additional classroom, storage spaces, restrooms, and a covered veranda. The second phase adds the left wing with two additional classrooms and a multipurpose hall. Composed of repeatable modules, the school grows gradually while remaining easy to build and maintain. The final phase completes the school through landscape elements, orchards, a playground, and a small football field, reinforcing the connection between education and daily life.
Sustainability is a design driver, guiding the project through passive strategies such as linear building forms, shaded verandas, controlled openings, generous ceiling heights, and cross-ventilation, enhancing natural ventilation, daylight, and thermal comfort. Material selection prioritizes local availability and earth-based construction for thermal mass. Stabilized earth blocks, compacted cement-stabilized soil, straw, bamboo, galvanized metal sheets, steel, and concrete are combined in a clear system buildable by local workers. Special emphasis is placed on the roof, the project's main environmental driver addressing the NGO's key concern. Inclined roofs collect rainwater, while a layered system of straw insulation, ventilated bamboo, and lightweight metal sheets ensures thermal protection. The system is designed to be easily replicated in other rural contexts.
Above all, the project aims to create a safe, dignified environment where architecture is an active tool for learning, resilience, and community growth.
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