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Safe school in South Sudan Content Summary Introduction Research Design ideas Site and situation analysys Concept Key findings Final proposal Detailed description Conclusion Bibliography and sources
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Lakes State Southern Sudan
Rumbek Girls’ Primary School Observations an October 2009 final_booklet.indd 3
First Impressions:
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Summary Design of a protection which aims for children, mainly girls, learning at the school in Rumbek, Sudan. Protection against theft, local community and wild animals which divides, but not isolates - providing a sufficient division and safety on two levels. New ways of studying outside the classroom (e.g. biology classes on the spot) and children behaviour creates functional spaces around the trees. Resistance for external factors like termites, sun, provided by two layers of protection. Local materials and techniques used for design proposal.
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Introduction For many years Sudan has been in crisis due to civil war. In 2005 both Northern and Southern Sudan signed a peace agreement. Returning residents, population migration and refugees from other countries has lead to a sudden population increase of 2 million people. In Sudan, over 1,5 million children are growing up without schooling because of war. Proper education for children could have a strong impact on social, cultural and economic level. As a student I got a possibility to cooperate with Solid House Foundation, developing the habitats, schools and water facilities in Southern Sudan. Booklet is a result of four months project development. From the early beginning we had to base on written materials delivered from Solid House Foundation, knowledge of department mentors and on my own research. Delivered sources explains current situation in Rumbek Girls Primary School, which is the largest girls primary school located within Rumbek town.
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The overall first impression of Rumbek Girls’ Primary School is one of an unsafe environment for the students both from a water, sanitation and hygiene point and a health and safety perspective. (source: SHF brief) Current objectives of Solid House Foundation (for 2010) are re-evaluated according to the political and social situation in Southern Sudan. There is a strong approach to return to the war between North and South Sudan, making area unstable and dangerous. Demands of protection school playground formulated by the SHF: o sustainable, local materials o simple building construction and maintenance o cost�effective o effective against animals o efficient anchorage in relation to erosion, landslides, flooding
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Research Rumbek is situated in Southern Sudan, surrounded by National Park and border line with Democratic Republic of Congo. Rumbek is the capital of the state of Lakes (also known as Buhayrat) in southern Sudan. Rumbek had a population of slightly under 100,000 in 2005, and sustained significant damage during the conflict during Second Sudanese Civil War. Girls Primary School is the largest girls primary school located within Rumbek town. It is a sprawling mixture of buildings interchanged with an equal interesting mixture of persons, both human and animal kind, making it hard to know where the school starts and finishes, what is part of the school and what is not and who are either students or teachers. The school was first constructed in 1946 by the British. In 2007 the school was deemed no longer safe for the girls to board due to immense insecurity of not just the school grounds and property but also the local men entered the school ground and proceeded to rape the girls every night.
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Design ideas During the design process we had to consider - what exactly it means safety? Materials delivered to us as a design brief were written according the European ‘style’. Does we perceive the safety in the same way as the local community? Do something considered as unsafe by us can be called ‘safe’ by African community? First stage of the project gathers the ideas for approaching safety. Vertical fence as a division of the space may deeply influence into the perception of a school and children behind. Project aimed to not to create the ‘prison’ alike structure with a thick wall of bricks. While researching projects which looks for the same functions, I’ve found that many designers doesn’t take this aspect into account. Almost flat and disturbed only with natural divisions - like branches of greenery - is typical for that area of Sudan.
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Vertical division is one of the most popular type of the fence. A division rises up from the ground, shaped usually with modular elements. Depending on safety needs and availability of local materials, a variety of solutions exist. Vertical fence is also a landmark, visibly and logically dividing the space for human, animals.
We also research among horizontal divisions as a solution for given situation. In contradiction to vertical scheme, this one seems to be more open, less visible and also less affective into the site. Open space feeling created by that king of division can be very valuable in a school situation. Invisible from a distance makes children feel less isolated and less divided from surrounding. Using divisions elements on a ground surface, which prevents local people to access or disturb the children could be realised with local materials. Possible solutions could be a glass trash spreads on the ground in a visible way.
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Given assignment was to develop safety around the school area. We carefully should considered type of material used in that surrounding. First principle is of course safety of the girls inside the school. Used around spaces where children play and study, rapidly moves, plying football. Barbed wire could be harmful in some cases. It brings a good safety level but in the same time has a strong connotations with closed areas for prisoners rather than girls improving themselves inside the school building.
We tried to test variety of barbed wire or metal mesh fences which could be adjusted for site purposes. Digging the wire under the ground as a example of landscape/visually correct design. Similar solutions used for a very high quality of division fx. on the country borders. Barbed wire could be also attached to the ground, creating an open and flexible solution for high safety. Proposal gives an opportunity to use natural grass/ plants which grows on local laterite soil. 17
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Considering also a landscape design, where soil is shaped in a way to achieve sufficient safety. Developed in UK landscape solution for hiding fence under the ground mainly for park purposes is called ha-ha. This kind of division doesn’t disturbs the view from the inside of the park, could be used also on both ways of stone wall, division. It’s form is vertical but brings some horizontal improvements which changes in a positive way the perception of that fence. Solution also extensive in a soil usage - difficult to develop longer fences and also difficult to manage with unused soil. Landscape design gives an powerful opportunities with natural, existing environment. Improvement of elements which already exists around the school - big trees, walking paths etc. could deliver an added value. Natural divisions has also a strong impact for human, which only recently dares to reshape landscape for his own purposes. Rivers brings a difficult but also very logic space division. Situation in South Sudan is already very difficult in managing natural water resources. Proposing a natural fence brings also discussion about how to use water in an appropriate way and gain the most for human being. School area and playground is affected by and unsafe 18
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Site and situation analysys because of dozen factors. First of all it’s a local community since the school is focused on girls development. For example on the 17th October 2009 classrooms where smashed into, leaving broken windows and stolen chairs, desks. Natural environment like wild animals crossing constantly area of the school is also affecting girls. Now landscape or environmental division protects from for example cattle which passes trough area to drink water from local water source. School is also affected by insufficient and not protected latrines. Since they’re public, the usage of latrines become impossible. Lack of basic sanitation affects the daily life of all pupils. Classrooms are affected by local community which doesn’t recognise the school area. Trees are used for drying clothes, motorbikes and other vehicles crosses the school area from any direction.
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Taking into consideration material choice, it’s also necessary to list destruction factors. Direct sunlight and termites could be the most affective and destructive. Area is also windy. During the design process we had to analyse the site. Visible from the satellite picture natural paths of people movement shows very clearly the way of using the space. Naturally ‘grown’ paths of moving local community are taken into consideration. Paths are created by the reference or important point within the school surrounding. Typical examples are paths leading to water source point. Children has to walk up to 5 minutes to reach drinkable water from the closest drinking point. Directions to the local market are also visible. Breaking or moving this naturally created paths makes a response on the proposal. Points which crosses with paths movements are equipped with gates. Different openings from three sides of school makes it accessible from almost any direction. It should be also mention that gates should be properly closed/open during the study hours. 23
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Function analysys:
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Functional division around the school area could be also visible. Rings marked on a map explains the position of possible situated well in the future. Also the position of latrines, playground and open space classrooms. Those functional divisions influences into the shape of design proposal. By adjusting the shape design proposal also aims for creating a pleasant space outside the school. By adjusting the height of a fence, functional divisions become more visible. Shadow is also the factor, which creates functional spaces on the site. Since direct sunlight is strong and hard to resist, people tends to gather under the shaded area. It’s also important to mention that the shadow is aligned differently and has different length during the day because of Rumbek position on the globe. Descriptive materials brings the observation that shadow is very short and doesn’t change it’s directions remarkably during the day.
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Shadow from fence creates a space
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Transparency studies
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Concept Concept for a school protection is based on multi-layered and multi-functional scheme of a vertical fence. Different layer which touches the ground provides protection against generally described “nature�. Factors like wild animals or smaller goats, chickens, dogs or donkeys. This layer makes defensive layer from termites as well. Bush created by natural materials like acacia provides sufficient level of protection. 28
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Second layer provides the “human� protection. All the offensive population needs to have a visible landscape mark that the school area is covered by protection. Visibility is also important - children have a feeling of being differed but in the same time still within the community.
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Protection of playground with children visible around the school
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Protection of playground with children visible around the school
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Key findings Analysing the site leads us to define crucial points of design proposal, which is based on idea of open-air classroom. We believe that the lack of classrooms in existing school can be supported by external space arrangement. Site usage and functional areas around the school shows, that children and teachers gathers under the trees - for more pleasant atmosphere without direct sunlight. It seems to be very basic and simple, with references to the beginnings of every community development. Small group of children, who gathers around the spot for educational reasons are very basic and simple, yet leading to improvement. The image of a community classroom which exist, where people collect in a group, leads us develop a proposal for local safety improvement. What do we want to protect? On poethic level - the simplicity of these external classrooms.
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Final proposal New ways of studying outside the classroom like biology classes on the spot and children behaviour creates functional spaces around the trees. Shadow provides better study environment.
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Detailed description stretched top (cradle)
bamboo structure laterite brick (shaped) laterite soil acaccia (against animals)
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Chosen material fence is bamboo, because of it’s flexibility and local availability. Using durable, non-toxic materials in recycled content, and structure itself can be recycled. Preservation of natural areas at school playground. Natural bamboo is already used in Rumbek for that fencing purposes. It’s good sides in a long term are easy maintenance and weather resistibility. Properly installed and assembled can last for long period. Bamboo is also easy to manipulate by local community. By using simple tools and weaving/interweaving techniques, it’s possible to create a large span structure reflecting biological forms. Bamboo managed by local community is also an opportunity to stimulate job market. It’s a great business to provide sustainable safety improvement around the spots, where safety is crucial element (school, clinic, private housing, local market).
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Shaped like cradle makes the fence extending the shadow area. More spots with better atmosphere improves study space. Aligning the fence according to the sun direction is applied only around the important spot. Structure of bamboo is raised up, gathered on top level, shrink and bend. Process of shrinking and bending is possible only by using natural material like bamboo. It’s elasticity, especially young and flexible sticks, become taught after exposition to direct sunlight. Design proposal explores that process of changing the quality of the material after certain period of time.
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Conclusion One hundred twenty-one million children worldwide, the majority of whom are girls, are not enrolled in primary school (UNICEF). At the same time, millions of existing classrooms are in serious need of repair and refurbishment. Schools face in trying to provide smart, safe and sustainable learning spaces. Design proposal is used as a tool to improve existing school area, strengthen local community and enlarge amount of children which can attend the school in Rumbek. Outdoor classrooms as a new ways of educating children. Exploring opportunities of locally available materials - bamboo - as well as it’s unique qualities - flexibility and strength. Shape of protection varies on the plan creating or improving functional spaces outside the school. Multi-layered structure of protection gives functional differences within the structure. Lower parts used for protection against animals, upper structure as a visible landscape mark - which divides, but not isolates.
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Bibliography and sources Doreleijers, W., July 2008, Appropriate Architecture for Southern Sudan Design and Construction Method for the Solid House Foundation, TU/e master thesis Solid House Foundation, October 2009, Rumbek Girls’ Primary School Observations and Brief History Solid House Foundation, 2009, Sudan Materials Database Solid House Foundation, 2010, Introduction to SHF in Southern Sudan, presentation by Suzanne Damman Sinclair, C., 2006, Design Like you Give a Damn, Metropolis Books Architecture for Humanity, 2008-2009, Annual report Neufert, Ernst, 2002, Architects’ Data (3rd ed.), Wiley-Blackwell Satellite view provided by Google Maps
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‘‘Safe school in South Sudan’’ Marcin Osiecki, 2010 Mentors: Irene van Peer, Erna Beumers Collaboration: Chia Wei Wang Design Academy Eindhoven, The Netherlands Language: English (UK) This work is licenced under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.5 Polish License. To view a copy of this licence, visit http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/pl/ Note: This project was compiled as part of man&Humanity master degree course. More informations available on-line: http://www.marcinosiecki.nl 49
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