Silindokulhe Pre-School

For its first experiment, the young architect collective Saga involved itself in a community development project in Joe Slovo, an informal settlement in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

The project consists in two building facing each other: on one side, the sanitation building with eight toilets and two sinks and on the other side, the main hall.

A container is plugged to the main building and hosts a kitchen and a storage room. The building has been conceived to host the children while the architects build the actual preschool on the opposite plot. It will then become a workshop dedicated to wood and metal work. The idea is to offer a space for the many local small entrepreneurs to launch their business. They will then be able to share their tools and knowledge but also have a proper space to work other than their homes. That being said, the building was designed as a hall that could host various usages throughout time. For now, partition walls can be pulled down in order to separate the three classes of the preschool.

One of the biggest challenges of this site was the rainwater issue. In fact, every time it rains in Joe Slovo, there is mud everywhere. Thus, Saga decided to raise the building in order to make sure it does not get flooded. They also created exterior decks that are above the ground so that the kids can still play outside. Retention walls and tranches were put in position in order to have a better and more efficient water flow on site. In the
sanitation building, the floor is covered of crushed shatterproof glass (noncutting) in order to prevent the space to become extremely dirty when it rains. Light and ventilation were important guidelines during the design. It was for the community a response to the old crèche that was damp, dark and mostly closed. Saga tried to make sure every square meter of the building is well lit and decided to open up the building as much as possible. This allows the teachers to use the outside space for activities but also to show the people in the street the amazing work happening side. Lastly, around 80 kids share this space every day. So ventilation was an issue; the top part of the pallets walls makes sure that the air inside is fresh and healthy all day.

Silindokulhe Pre-School, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Program: temporary crèche, workshop
Architects: Indalo & Collectif Saga
Team: Kevin Kimwelle, Anastasia Rohaut, Pierre Guérin, Camille Sablé, Sylvain Guitard, Simon Galland, Jason Dinant, Maguelonne Gorioux, Nolwenn Gervais, Pauline Richard, Cécile Jaouen, Eglantine Bulka, Eva Fojtu, Andrès Sanchez, Adèle Bertrand
Quantity Surveyor: LDM Quantity Surveyor
Partners: Alliance Française de Port Elizabeth Werk, Engineers Without Borders, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Funders and donors: Williams Hunt, Coca-Cola, Cannibal, Amalooloo, Builders Warehouse, Penny Pinchers, IBIS, Voltex
Contractors: Love Story (NGO), Patricia N. Piyani (School’s director)
Cost: 6000 €
Area: 138 sqm
Completion: September 2015