Built to expand the sparse network of schools in the province of Boulgou, in the east of Burkina Faso, Gando Primary School addresses 2 characteristic problems of many educational buildings in the area: poor lighting and ventilation. Kere created a design that resolves these issues directly, within the parameters set by cost, climate, resource availability, and construction feasibility. Because clay is abundantly available in the region and traditionally used in house building, a clay-cement hybrid material worked well for creating structurally robust earth blocks. These blocks are not only easy to produce, they also provide thermal protection against the hot climate. Despite their durability, however, the walls must be protected from damaging rains by an overhanging roof. In Burkina Faso, corrugated metal roofs are a popular solution, although they absorb the direct sunlight and overheat building interiors. Kere's design solves this problem by pulling the roof of Gando Primary School away from the learning space of the interior and introducing a dry-stacked brick ceiling between them, allowing for maximum ventilation: cool air is pulled in from the interior windows, while hot air is released out through perforations in the clay roof. This approach also significantly reduces the school's ecological footprint by alleviating the need for air-conditioning.
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