Ekuthuleni Primary School

PROJECT INFORMATION

Client:  Department of Transport and Public Works: Education Type: Completed Project
Provincial Government: Western Cape
Project Value: R 10M
Completion: January 2006
Address:  Kraaifontein, Bloekembos, Cape Town

The design for the new Ekuthuleni Primary School building in the community of Bloekomboss, was influenced by the consideration to provide a high-quality education facility in a deprived community.

The design challenge was to create academic spaces and an enabling environment and play spaces protected from the often adverse weather conditions of the Western Cape region. Our approach to the design process was to implement sensible design principles to achieve a durable, robust and low-maintenance building, given the environment and envisaged use. Face brick facade treatment has been used and colour applied to enhance the aesthetic treatment and create a pleasant learning environment.

In this context, some of the space norms which prescribe circulation areas were challenged, and wider corridors proposed. Gathering spaces were created to provide flexible teaching and indoor play areas. As part of sustainable design, the building is orientated to protect exposed outdoor play spaces.

The building provides much natural light and ventilation beyond the average requirements in order to create a pleasant learning and teaching environment. The windows are shaded from direct sunshine to limit the direct penetration of sunshine into the teaching spaces. The result is the reduction of heat gain within the building.

This primary school building has served as a model project for other school buildings to follow, achieving high-quality educational facilities in poor and deprived communities, and offering a creative teaching and learning environment towards the development of young learners.