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Bio lerning centre, Sierra Leone

Support EFA: Environmental Foundation for Africa

At Sierra Leone
By Arkitekter Uden Grænser - Denmark
Local partners: Environmental Foundation for Africa
Donors: EFA plus various Danish funds

„Design and construction of an environmental learning centre with the aim of enlightening the population and politicians about the vast environmental challenges that Sierra Leone faces.
development targets:
- Increasing the knowledge level for school classes, students and the local population.
- Create a building that will serve as hub for environmental organizations in West Africa and strengthen their collective efforts.
- Create a building with distinct visual landmark properties that signals the importance of the environmental organization’s efforts and highlights their existence.
- To demonstrate how to build with a combination of modern and traditional sustainable materials.
architecture: The project is based on experience from our staff housing project in Masanga, also in Sierra Leone. The building rests on a pillar-foundation, both to limit the use of cement and to minimize the environmental footprint. The building has built-in waterless VIP toilets that produces fertilizer for farm-use. Solar cells and water collection is part the permanent exhibition. The building makes extensive use of natural ventilation to demonstrate an alternative to resource-guzzling air condition. Through its exhibits the centre demonstrates simple, practical solutions in the fields of sustainable farming, forestry and energy. The centre itself is conceived as an example to be followed. It has a both scenic and strategic location at the edge of three different eco-systems: rain forest, mangrove and beach.
project team: Patrick Kogler, Camilla Kragh, Rasmus Hamann og Kym Lansell

 

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Construction works
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Local craftsmen during works
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celebrating roof works finish
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local craftsmen and community during construction works
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Interior view
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Exterior view of the centre
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group of kids during lesson
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construction works
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Facade billede

MECC Computer learning centre, Sierra Leone

Computer learning centre

At Sierra Leone
By Arkitekter Uden Grænser - Denmark
Local partners: Danish NGO with local branch in Sierra Leone

„The building provides various possibilities within education and IT, such as an internet café, various courses and humanitarian events. The building is also a community centre that can hold different events for the local community.
development targets:
- To improve the education in Sierra Leone and secure access to information. In Sierra Leone only 0,3% has access to the Internet.
 - Capacity building of local labour through collaborations with local entrepreneurs and craftsmen. The building process has furthermore functioned as training, internship and education through weekly meetings and coaching.
architecture:
The centre relates to the surrounding buildings and local building traditions, but is also shaped by a creative process that makes the building stand out and give it character.
The building furthermore demonstrate environmental sustainability: Solar panels are used as an alternative source of energy and the consumption of electricity is kept visual to keep an eye on the usage. Rain water is collected, there’s access to compost toilets and soil blocks are used for construction (burned ‘bricks’ made from local soil mixed with a bit of cement and pressed in a mechanical press).
Details have been processed on ground using locally available materials.
project team:
Project managers Carina Nissen and Wiebke Engels.

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Computer learning centre interiors
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Local craftsmen during works
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local craftsmen during works
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The main corridor
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bricks production
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The main entrance
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Solar panels are used as an alternative source of energy
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