Arup provided engineering and design expertise to develop the prototype kindergarten, a model for a rollout program in the local area. The firm collaborated with global construction consultants Davis Langdon and the Sabre Charitable Trust, a small charity working to improve education provision in the KEEA district of Ghana in partnership with the Municipal Education Office.
The school with capacity for 120 pupils displays modular and scalable design which is a prototype for 30 schools in the district. It is built using sustainable materials including bamboo, coconut fiber and soil. The light, airy and cool classrooms are suitable for a curriculum of activity-based learning.
The project involves the innovative use of sustainable materials, such as coconut fiber for sound insulation, a cement alternative derived from organic material and stabilized soil blocks. The design allows rainwater to be harvested, optimizes daylight and natural ventilation, and reduces the internal temperature of the building.
The project was evaluated by ‘ASPIRE’, a software-based tool for assessing the sustainability of infrastructure projects. Close collaboration with government and the local community ensured the kindergarten was a model of best practice in international development and helps Sabre to achieve its vision for kindergarten education.
Work on the next school is scheduled to begin in September 2010.
