What is
Social Architecture?
Social Architecture applies the theories of affordable building to impoverished areas inhabited by the poorest of the poor, whose facilities are inadequate.
It encourages social tourism and the transfer of skills from international university groups to unemployed, and often uneducated, locals.
How do Education Africa’s Social Architecture projects work?
Funds are raised by international universities to build facilities in impoverished South African communities, and the architecture students from these universities come to South Africa to build the facilities
(pre-schools, skills centres and facilities for the disabled). They are designed and constructed by the students using simple, inexpensive local building materials, while applying innovative solutions to
architectural problems. Often, the students include unemployed local residents in the building of the facilities in order to encourage skills transfer.
Education Africa identifies projects, obtains permission from relevant departments, and sources accommodation and food for students, where possible at reduced rates or through donations. Education Africa also helps to ensure that partners and structures are in place so that the centres will be run and maintained effectively, once built.
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Projects completed
- Technical University of Vienna designed and constructed a workplace, storage area for tools and materials, cooking and sanitary facilities, an office and a centre for social interaction for Modimo O Moholo home for disabled adults in the Orange Farm community. Orange Farm is an impoverished informal settlement south of Johannesburg, and suitable areas for social interaction and work areas were needed so that the centre could become a fully operational workplace.
- Technical University of Vienna designed and built a multi-purpose room, incorporating basic sanitary and cooking facilities, at Masibambane College. This is used as the living quarters for the school security personnel.
- Technical University of Vienna constructed living units and additional workshops at Modimo O Moholo, which was a project completed in two phases, as shown above.
- University of Art, Linz built a kitchen, laundry, dining areas and therapy rooms for Tebogo Home for mentally and physically handicapped children. The home had been partially destroyed by fire in November 2004; thus, it desperately needed reparation and upgrading to cater for the children’s needs.
- Graz University of Technology built Thembelihle pre-school in Weilersfarm, an extraordinarily poor township in need of pre-school facilities. An entirely new facility was built with adequate play and sleep areas to replace the prefabricated shack which had previously been accommodating 60 children. The new facility accommodates many more children.
- Technical University of Vienna built Emmanuel Day Care Centre pre-school in Orange Farm. The entirely new facility replaced a prefabricated shack to accommodate many more children, with adequate play and sleep areas.
- University of Salzburg built an adult skills disabled centre at Montic Primary School, Montic Dairy Farm, near Heidelberg, to provide for the impoverished and largely unemployed community living on and near the farm. A complex of buildings was built, including a kitchen unit, sewing room, wood and metal workshop, linked by a pergola structure facing a courtyard and the existing primary school on Montic Dairy Farm. This provides a location for unemployed adults and young people to gain wood and metalwork, sewing and brick-making skills.
- University of Aachen, Germany built Sharp Sharp Pre-school at Montic Primary School, where two cramped, hot classrooms had previously accommodated 60 pre-school children. An entirely new facility was built, which accommodates more children, with a play area, silent/sleep room, sanitary facilities and an outdoor/play area. A vegetable garden was also planted.
- University of Art, Linz built Teddy Bear Pre-school in Orange Farm, to accommodate 150 toddlers, many of whom are orphans and who were previously cared for in a pre-school run from a shack. A daycare facility with sleep rooms, covered patio and outdoor play area, office and kitchen were built.
- University of Innsbruck built a pre-school at Olifantsvlei Primary in Eikenhof, an impoverished community outside Johannesburg. The pre-school was being run from two cramped classrooms at Olifantsvlei Primary School, so a separate preschool facility with suitable play and rest areas was built adjacent to the school. Education Africa partnered with Adopt-a-School Foundation on this project for the first time.
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