BEYOND THE REFUGE BOOK 5 SCHOOL CLASSROOM
Education is a corner stone of any society, this remains true in refugee situations. However it can be hard to continue a child’s education when there is massive upheaval. When families first arrive at a camp few believe they will be staying for an extended amount of time and so do not push to have their children placed in schools immediately. It is equally hard for camp organisers to deliver a quality education given that classes vary in size and age groups. The large tents that are often used struggle to adapt to the necessities of a camp school. Classes run in mornings and afternoons with multiple classes going on simultaneously. This causes distractions, inhibiting the childrens ability to learn.
Existing School
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This new school aims to combat some of these issues. It embraces instead of battles with the adaptability issue. It is made entirely of components that can fit in one twenty foot shipping container, and all from materials that have been tested in refugee camps around the world. Designed for an arid climate it is passively cooled and ventilated. Each classroom consists of two rigid walls and two moving steel and canvas walls which enable it to change easily and accommodate multiple uses.
Al Zaatari School Complexes
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SCHOOL CLASSROOM PLAN 1:100
The school has a tensile roof which can be erected quickly and easily. It extends beyond the boundaries of the classroom to create shaded areas for children to play and a welcoming and open exterior. These are especially useful when the adaptable doors are opened to encompass larger spaces.
When a school calls for a larger space, multiples of the modular structure can be interlinked to create a interconnected school. This is preferable to the compounds of separate large tents that are often used in situations with high numbers of children.
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Long term use allows for use of alternative building methods
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Canvas roofing Passive Ventilation and Light
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Sandwich panels (portocabin - for immediate response)
SCHOOL WALL PERMUTATIONS 1:100
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CLASSROOM WALLS PERMUTATIONS
The swinging walls are light weight steel and canvas. In addition to swinging they can also fold up using a specially designed runner system. This creates a plethora of spaces that can be created.
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A camp school’s success is dependent on its ability to adapt to requirements and engage the children. The playfulness in the design in engaging, allowing the children to feel they have some control of their physical environment. This control can be empowering, especially in extreme situations.
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ASSEMBLY PROCESS - 1:200 Dimensions are prescribed by those of standard shipping containers, as with many camps they are remote so transport must be taken in to consideration from an early point. The large swinging walls are light weight but robust and have the ability to increase space by up to 300%. Due to the ‘kit’ like nature it means that if at any point one element does become damaged it is easy to replace. All materials are commonly found in camps however the adaptation of them requires some expertise. When multiple are used together they create an interesting landscape or varying scales and permeability, allowing adaptability for users but efficiency for suppliers.
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SCHOOL SITING INFRASTRUCTURE SPECIFICATIONS
1 - Solid side angled in to prevailing winds 2 - Area for Pick up/Drop off for waiting parents 3 - In proximity to existing child friendly play space 4 - Centralised in residential area 5 - Space for future expansion 6 - Access to water supply 7 - Proximity to child related NGO Office 8 - Large Classroom 9 - Medium Class room 10 - Small Classrooms 11 - Adapted play space
Combination Units 1:200
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Large Classroom Combination 1:100
New useful space
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Medium Classroom Combination 1:100
New useful space
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Adapted Play Space 1:100
New useful space
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LOCATING THE SCHOOL It is important to consider the parents as well as the children when designing the school. Security worries among other reasons can lead a family to keep their children at home.
By placing the school at the center of the camp, or its catchment area, it becomes part of the fabric of the camp. Integrated in the goings-on of the inhabitants, not something prescribed by the coordinators. This increases trust from parents and families and higher numbers of children attending school on a regular basis.
Schools in camps are often situated on peripheries, far from centers. This is something that would never be tolerated in good town planning and so should not be in camps. It is not acceptable that refugees are given sub-standard design, especially when there is not financial difference to those providing it.
This also opens it up to a variety of other programs when the school is not in use. Victim mentality is one of the greatest negative influences on refugees, by placing education at the center along with the capability to meet and organise themselves, it encourages an empowered population.
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combined classrooms
Welcoming and open
The structures join to create protected play spaces
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STEP 1 Segregated classrooms
STEP 2 Joined classrooms
STEP 3 Open space
THE SCHOOL - REPRESENTATIONS 25