St Michaels, Grabouw (South Africa) 2011-2012
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
The Design Build Research Studio was established after our first project at the St Michael’s Multi-Grade School, and our approach to design build and live projects has been shaped by our experience there. The school provides multi-grade education, where different year groups are taught by the same teacher. This mode of teaching has specialised requirements, and we assisted in adapting the existing school building and site. With ECP and second year Architectural Technology, as well as third year Interior Design students, we undertook three projects during 2011 and 2012, starting with an outdoor classroom and an extension of the existing veranda, to allow for groups of children to work outside of the classroom. This was followed by a screened play area to direct visitors past the classrooms to the reception area, and lastly by a school library which was inserted into a shipping container which open up to the outdoor classroom. The sun screen over the shipping container, as well as the veranda extension, is built from reused apple crate planks from the farms nearby, and as far as possible all material was reused and environmentally friendly.
Client: St Michaels Multi-Grade School
Research Question: Exploring the nature of a design-build project in an architectural technology and interior design course.
South Africa, Architecture, Days, Permanent, Initiated by institution, Self-funded, 11-50, Architectural Technology, Undergraduate, Curricular, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Interior Architecture, Students with tutor
