W

e were invited to design a Secondary School for the Foundation Shine on Sierra Leone which operates in the area of Kono where there are the diamond mines. The students have to walk about 3 hours to get to the nearest school which results in a very low attendance to classes. The concept of the design is based on the idea of a nest where the birds need be nurtured and fed (educated) so that they can then fly (thrive). Hence the roofs shapes resembling the lines of flying birds and a reminder of the eggs in openings in the classrooms walls or in the shape of the bathrooms. The walls also display openings for light which report inspirational messages about life. This is an area that has been affected repeatedly overtime by wars, diamond mines slavery and all kind of natural disasters and diseases including Ebola few years back therefore the population is really struggling and health and education support are at the base of any change possible for the people. The project is still in progress.
In order to minimise the construction costs we produced bricks ourselves utilising the same soil of the site.

"This will make a small contribution to the effort to liberate what is an exploited and oppressed continent"