NL : nleworks.com
SUSTAINABILITY, COMMUNITY, WATER
Makoko Floating School is a prototype floating structure, built for the historic water community of Makoko, located on the lagoon heart of Nigeria s largest city, Lagos. As a pilot project, it has taken an innovative approach to address the community s social and physical needs in view of the impact of climate change and a rapidly urbanizing African context. Its main aim is to generate a sustainable, ecological, alternative building system and urban water culture for the teeming population of Africa s coastal regions.
In response to this and in close collaboration with the Makoko community, NL has developed a prototype floating structure that will serve primarily as a school, whilst being scalable and adaptable for other uses, such as a community hub, health clinic, market, entertainment center or housing.
The 220m A-frame or piramid building is 10m high with a 10m x 10m base. It is an ideal shape for a floating object on water due to its relatively low center of gravity, which provides stability and balance even in heavy winds.
The building has three levels. The 1st level is an open play area for school breaks and assembly, which also serves as a community space during after hours. The 2nd level is an enclosed space for two to four classrooms, providing enough space for sixty to a hundred pupils. A staircase on the side connects the open play area, the classrooms and a semi-enclosed workshop space on the 3rd level.
CREDITS
TEAM: Kunl Adeyemi, Lisa Anderson, Thijs Bouman, Leslie Ebony, Marije Nederveen, Segun Omodele, Adekunle Olusola, Chryso Onisiforou, Martin Oreoluwa, Berend Strijland & Monica Velasco
MAKOKO WATERFRONT COMMUNITY: The Baales of Makoko/Iwaya Waterfront Community, with special mention of Baale Emmanuel Shemede, Noah Jesutin Shemede, Jeunbete Shemede, Makoko Community Development Association & Youth Leaders and Makoko Floating School building team.
COLLABORATORS: Blok Kats van Veen Architects, Dykstra Naval Architects, Thieu Besselink, Roel Bosch, Urhahn + Borra, Pieters Bouwtechniek, Ikeyi & Arifayan, Solarmate Engineering Ltd., Renderings Tim van Bentum
SUPPORT: United Nations Development Programme/Federal Ministry of Environment (AAP) & Heinrich B ll Foundation
LOCATION: Lagos, Nigeria
DATE: 2013
PROGRAM: School, Community Building
AREA: 220 m2
STATUS: Under Construction
PHOTOGRAPHY: NL , Iwan Baan
