Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture

Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Image 2 of 40Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - ColumnLycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Brick, Facade, ArcadeLycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - BrickLycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - More Images+ 35

Koudougou, Burkina Faso
  • Client: Stern Stewart Institute & Friends
  • City: Koudougou
  • Country: Burkina Faso
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Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Image 2 of 40
© Iwan Baan

Text description provided by the architects. Located in the third most populated city in Burkina Faso, the Lycée Schorge Secondary School will not only set a new standard for educational excellence in the region, it will also provide a source of inspiration by showcasing locally-sourced building materials in an innovative and modern way.

Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Image 26 of 40
© Iwan Baan
Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Facade
© Iwan Baan
Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Image 37 of 40
Exploded Axonometric
Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Column
© Iwan Baan

The design for the school consists of 9 modules which accommodate a series of classrooms and administration rooms. One of these modules also houses a dental clinic which will provide a new source of dental care for the students.

Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Brick, Facade, Arcade
© Iwan Baan

The walls of these modules are made from locally-harvested laterite stone, which, when first extracted from the earth, can be easily cut and shaped into bricks. When the stone is left exposed to the atmosphere above ground, it begins to harden. The material functions really well as a wall system for the classrooms because of its thermal mass capabilities. This, in combination with the unique wind-catching towers and overhanging roofs, lowers the temperature of the interior spaces exponentially.

Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Table, Chair, Windows
© Iwan Baan

Another major factor that helps to naturally ventilate and illuminate the interiors is a massive undulating ceiling. The wave-like pattern of plaster and concrete components are slightly offset from each other, allowing the interior space to breathe and expel hot stagnant air. The off-white color of the ceiling serves to diffuse and spread around indirect daylight, providing ample illumination during the day while keeping the interior learning space protected from direct solar heat gain.

Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Brick
© Iwan Baan
Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Image 35 of 40
Floor Plan
Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Image 13 of 40
© Iwan Baan

Wrapping around these classrooms like a transparent fabric is a system of wooden screens. This secondary façade is made from a local fast-growing wood and acts as a shading element for the spaces immediately surrounding the classrooms. The screens not only function to protect the earthen classrooms from corroding dust and winds, they also help to create a series of secondary informal gathering spaces for the students as they wait to attend their classes.

Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Image 10 of 40
© Iwan Baan

In order to maximize the material transported to the site, the school furniture inside the classrooms is made from local hardwoods and leftover elements from the main building construction such as steel scraps from the roof. In this way, the economy of the building is extended by reducing waste adding additional value to the cost of construction.

Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Beam
© Iwan Baan
Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Image 38 of 40
Classroom Exploded Axonometric
Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Image 29 of 40
© Iwan Baan

Creating a sort of autonomous ‘village’ condition, the radial layout of classroom modules wrap around a central public courtyard. This configuration not only creates privacy from the main public domain, it also shelters and protects the inner courtyard from wind and dust. An ampitheater-like condition at the center of the courtyard will accommodate informal gatherings as well as formal assemblies and celebrations for the school and community as a whole.

Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Image 6 of 40
© Iwan Baan

Overall, one of the most important goals of the design is to serve as a catalyst for inspiration for the students, teaching staff, and surrounding community members. The architecture not only functions as a marker in the landscape, it is also a testament to how local materials, in combination with creativity and team-work, can be transformed into something significant with profound lasting effects.

Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture  - Image 25 of 40
© Iwan Baan

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Project location

Address:Koudougou, Burkina Faso

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Lycee Schorge Secondary School / Kéré Architecture " 19 Apr 2021. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/885677/lycee-schorge-secondary-school-kere-architecture> ISSN 0719-8884

© Iwan Baan

Lycee Schorge 中学 / Kéré Architecture

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