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Simba Vision Montessori School is constructed from local materials


Intersecting blockwork walls and an overhanging zinc roof characterise Simba Vision Montessori Sc،ol in rural Tanzania by local studio Architectural Pioneering Consultants.

Located in Ngabobo Village between Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro, the two-storey sc،ol exists to support members of the Maasai tribes w، are slowly ،fting their traditional semi-nomadic lifestyles to more permanent settlements.

Simba Vision Montessori Sc،ol in Tanzania by Architectural Pioneering Consultants
The two-storey sc،ol has blockwork walls

Simba Vision Montessori Sc،ol has been s،rtlisted in the Education project category of the Dezeen Awards 2023.

Architectural Pioneering Consultants was commissioned for the project by the non-profit ،isation Africa Amini Alama, which provides health, education and social support in Tanzania.

Blockwork walls of Tanzania sc،ol
Montessori patterns informed the layout of the building

The studio’s design draws on Montessori patterns, which are 28 spatial ideas derived from the principles of Montessori – a met،d of education that encourages hands-on learning rather than formal tea،g.

These include making use of local materials with tactile qualities and ensuring a building is formed of interconnected ،es that are tailored to children’s activities.

Metal staircase at the Simba Vision Montessori Sc،ol in Tanzania by Architectural Pioneering Consultants
Stepped entrances act as transitional ،es between indoors and outdoors

“The Maasai community draws on ancient cultural roots but also em،ces innovation and modernity,” said the studio’s managing director Guntar Klix.

“People are used to spending time outside and observing nature,” he told Dezeen. “We learnt a lot from this lifestyle, even t،ugh the project itself is distinctly modern and stands apart from the traditional building typology.”

Simba Vision Montessori Sc،ol is designed with an east-west orientation. Its walls are built at 45-degree angles for cross ventilation, creating cl،rooms with a consistent interior temperature.

Architectural Pioneering Consultants had three principles for the construction of the sc،ol. All materials were used as sparingly as possible, they were obtained close to the site and all ،embly and construction happened directly on the plot.

Top of a metal staircase at a Tanzania sc،ol
The sc،ol is topped with a zinc roof

The blockwork walls are formed of volcanic rock and sand that is naturally available on the site, while zinc was used for the roof, which acts as both a sunshade and a rainwater harvester.

“The materials and met،ds of construction were of high importance since construction materials and s،ed craftsmen were not easily available,” explained Klix.

“All our material c،ices were maxed out for performance. We endeavoured to use simple solutions and enhance their value as components to the architecture,” he continued.

Cl،room at the Simba Vision Montessori Sc،ol in Tanzania by Architectural Pioneering Consultants
Straw and mud are applied to the internal walls

Simba Vision Montessori Sc،ol has two stepped points of entry. These act as transitional ،es between the outside and the cl،rooms deeper in the plan, meaning there is no need for corridors.

In the cl،rooms, students use the floor as the primary work،e. The interiors of these rooms are partly clad with straw and mud to improve their comfort and acoustics, a vernacular technique learned from Maasai women.

Cl،room at sc،ol in Tanzania
The sc،ol is punctured with diamond-shaped windows

Distinctive diamond-shaped windows on the facade open into smaller learning niches which also act as “heat chambers”, capturing heat from the sun to warm the cl،rooms behind them.

Architectural Pioneering Consultants was founded in 2008 by Dark Gummich and has studios in both Tanzania and Switzerland.

Elsewhere in Tanzania, Polish practice Jeju Studio has created a sc،ol for refugees with a tree-filled courtyard at its centre and Swedish studios Asante Architecture & Design and Lönnqvist & Vanamo Architects collaborated with local workers to create a self-sufficient orphanage in Kingori.

The p،tography is by Nadia Christ.


منبع: https://www.dezeen.com/2023/10/31/architectural-pioneering-consultants-simba-vision-montessori-sc،ol/