SKF-RTL Children Learning Center is an education facility that welcomes children between the ages of 4 and 14 from Nyang'oma Kolego and the surrounding district in Kenya. It was commissioned by the Sauti Kuu Foundation with the aim of promoting personal development through skill-building activities such as sports and agriculture. The facility consists of 2 classrooms, a kitchen, an office, and bathrooms - each function contained within a circular structure. Arranged organically in relation to each other, these spaces draw inspiration from the region's traditional compounds. Curving walls tie together the circular units to define interstitial spaces, and each space takes on specific characteristics, lending itself to different activities, as well as inviting children to informally gather and play. One space in particular, directly adjacent to the kitchen, features a lowered oval in the floor slab where children can sit in clusters during meals. The walls are made of compressed earth blocks produced directly on-site, carefully laid to follow the building's smooth curves. Between the blocks, openings fitted with bamboo log panels allow filtered light and a cool breeze to enter the space. The flowing forms of the plan contrast with the bold lines of the elevated butterfly roof, as the steel canopy provides ample shade, allows air to circulate throughout the structure, and produces a remarkably pleasant interior climate. By reaching beyond the building's footprint, the roof surrounds the outer walls with a generous shaded area.
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