Des Baker Student Architecture Design Competition 2011
CRADLE TO GRADE 6 The theme of this year's Student Congress is "Sustainable Architecture in the Developing World". The context for architecture in the developing world is so very different from that in the rich countries. Despite the fact that a building such as Stan Field's Ubuntu Centre in Zwide Township has been honoured by amongst others Progressive Architecture, it is possible, in the context of a developing country, to question the nature of this building. With its form generated architecture and lavishness, is it appropriate? Is it even possible for an architect from the rich world to do an appropriate and successful building in the developing world? In a developing country like South Africa should one lavish on a building the resources that one would in a rich country? It could be argued that we in the developing world just have to be more creative and more relevant to our context in the buildings that we craft. The technical tricks and skills from the rich countries and from their Starchitects are interesting, but do they really have the profound relevance that the journalists and competition juries think they have? Is it possible that with their ageing populations the creative edge that the rich countries have long held is finally passing to the energetic, young populations in the developing world? In our developing Southern African context we face many challenges. Drawing the majority of our people into the money economy by empowering them through education is one of our greatest. In this arena the architecture of the school, even the humblest school, is surely a crucial catalyst in making access to good education attainable. The children growing up in our rural areas are particularly disadvantaged and face special difficulties in coping with a school education. For them the transition from the home to school is especially difficult. Currently, according to the Department of Education "South Africa has 12.3-million learners, some 386 600 teachers and 26 292 schools, including 1 098 registered independent or private schools. Of all schools, roughly 6 000 are high schools (grade 7 to grade 12) and the rest primary (grade 0 to grade 6)". From these figures it can be seen that approximately 19 000 schools are primary schools and it is also inevitable, given our context, that the vast majority of these will be rural schools. Grade 0, also sometimes referred to as Grade R, is for children aged four and a half to five and a half. Grades 0, 1, 2 & 3 are referred to as the Foundation Phase, grades 4, 5, & 6 are referred to as the Intermediate Phase and grades 7, 8 & 9 are referred to as the Senior Phase. According to the Act schooling is compulsory up to the age of 15, or the completion of grade 9. From all of the above it is evident that the weight of the schooling crisis clearly lies with primary school education and possibly even more importantly with school preparedness of the child, along with family support. The country desperately needs to pour resources into this preparatory end of the education ladder. The countries dismal Matric results will not come right if this is not done. Even more important than current Matric results is the fact that the number of young people getting through to even attempt Matric is way too low.
PAGE 1 Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University - Port Elizabeth
Des Baker Student Architecture Design Competition 2011
CRADLE TO GRADE 6
Serving the needs of disadvantaged children in a rural context through the design of appropriate school buildings is a powerful gesture in the Southern African context. To succeed such a design needs to be sustainable from both a societal as well as an environmental point of view. To be successfully resolved it calls on the South African architect to exercise a level of creativity and appropriateness that can probably only be found in a designer when he truly operates from within the rich nuances of context of the developing world. SO THE TASK WE CHALLENGE YOU WITH IS TO DESIGN A PLACE FOR EDUCATION FROM CRADLE TO GRADE 6. HOW SHOULD IT BE, HOW COULD IT BE, HOW MUST IT BE? WHAT ARE THE ROLES OF THE CHILD, THE TEACHER, THE PARENT, THE FAMILY, THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT ARE THE RELATIONSHIPS OF THESE PLAYERS ONE TO ANOTHER? THIS MUST ALL COME TOGETHER IN THE SPATIAL, PLACE AND PROCESS VISIONS YOU AS AN ARCHITECT WILL HAVE, THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE LIVES AND LEARNING AND THE FUTURE OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WHOM WE NEED TO SERVE.
THIS IS YOUR BRIEF: ? Choose a real site for a real community in the rural context of your region. ? By rural we mean the true countryside outside of the metropolitan areas and not attached to a
city or large town. A rural site related to a hamlet or small village would, however, be acceptable. ? Explore the various notions and facilities required for School preparedness. In the rural context this might well apply as much to the preparedness of the parents as to that of the child. ? Explore the notions and facilities for Pre-School as well as those for Primary School in the rural context. ? Develop a proposal for a built facility for Pre-Primary and Primary Schooling for your chosen site. ? The Pre-Primary/Primary School is to accommodate appropriate staff and approximately 300 children - i.e. children in Grades 0 to 6. It is however expected that the exact nature of the brief, the numbers to be accommodated and the required accommodation to be provided can and should be adjusted to suit the community and context within which you choose to place the building. ? Make use of appropriate materials and construction systems. ? Engagement with a community is expected and evidence of such engagement must be visible in your presentation. ? Remember that in the rural areas services such as tarred roads, piped water supply, electricity and sewerage are often not available.
PAGE 2 Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University - Port Elizabeth
Des Baker Student Architecture Design Competition 2011
CRADLE TO GRADE 6 Entry conditions include: ? All entries must have been produced by individuals or groups of not more than four students. ? Only students who are in the final year of the BAS or equivalent at a University of
Technology may enter. ? Each participating institution may submit a maximum of one entry. ? The Des Baker entries must be received by the NMMU School of Architecture by not later
than 12noon on Monday 16th May 2011. ? Presentation of the entries must be on 4 x A1 sheets. Models are permitted. ? There should be no identifying name or university symbol on the drawings or models. ? All work must be accompanied by the completed competition registration form in a sealed
envelope and attached to the back of the first panel of the competition entry. ? All entries will be awarded a random number when they arrive. ? Students entering the competition must mount their own drawings in the allocated space
on Monday 16th by 15:00. The Student Congress takes place from 15 to 20 May 2011 in Port Elizabeth. All Des Baker submissions will be displayed in the Main Studio where the judging and announcement of the winners will take place. The names of the judges will be announced in April. The judge's decision will be final and the winners will be announced at a function in the Main Studio on Friday 20th May 2011. Prizes will be awarded as usual for the first three positions. The value of the prizes will be announced as soon as the information is available from the sponsors. Gavin McLachlan (gavin.mclachlan@nmmu.ac.za), Don Flint (donald.flint@nmmu.ac.za) School of Architecture, NMMU.
PAGE 3 Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University - Port Elizabeth
Des Baker Student Architecture Design Competition 2011
CRADLE TO GRADE 6 2011 Murray & Roberts Des Baker Architecture Student Design Competition Registration Form Details of participant NAME I.D/PASSPORT NO INSTITUTION
YEAR OF STUDY
PROJECT TITLE ADDRESS
TEL. NO
FAX NO
CELL NO EMAIL Note: If this is a group (maximum of four), each participating student must complete a separate form.
Eligibility This competition is open to all registered students in the final year of their first qualification in architecture enrolled at a tertiary institution. As proof, participants must attach a certified copy of their student registration to this form. No entries will be accepted without such proof. The registration form must be sealed in an unmarked envelope and fixed to the back of the participant's entry. I/We_______________________________________________________________hereby declare that all work (drawings, text, models) submitted) with this entry are completed of my/our own doing, and that the decision of the panel of judges is final and binding.
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University - Port Elizabeth