The Earth School Competition

Archstorming is launching a new competition in partnership with the NGO Kakolum. We will travel to Casamance, a region in Senegal marked by an identity conflict that started more than 30 years ago and continues to this day. This region, located between Gambia and Guinea-Bissau, faces several challenges, one of which is the lack of classrooms for primary and secondary school children.

Schools in Casamance are temporary structures, mostly made of straw, mud or scraps of aluminium, in which students sit on the ground and teachers rarely have a desk or chair. The NGO has been working on the reconstruction of schools in the area, and now they have decided to build a new one in the beach town of Kafountine.

Even though Kafountine's population is around 17,000 inhabitants, there is only one secondary school in the town. This school is currently attended by more than 1,000 students, although the infrastructure doesn’t meet the appropriate conditions to accommodate more than 600. That is why it is necessary to build another secondary school that meets the growing need for schooling in the area.

· Challenge ·

This competition will look for designs for a brand-new school for 400 students that will be built in Kafountine, Senegal.

One of Kakolum’s main goals is being sustainable and environmentally conscious, and they want this new school to respect that too. For that reason, it will be very important to use local materials and easy-to-learn construction techniques. This is a chance to bring this community a cheap building method they can use not only in this school but also in future constructions.

Also, this school can proof that earth construction can be highly beneficial. It is a fireproof material, durable yet biodegradable, non-toxic, and a material that provides sufficient thermal mass to buildings to ensure great thermal performance. It has low sound transmission levels through walls and a general feeling of solidity and security.

The school will have 10 classrooms, 1 multipurpose space, 2 offices, bathrooms, a covered courtyard and an open courtyard.
Do you accept the challenge?

· Prizes ·

1st place - 6.000€ + Project Construction
2nd place - 2.000€
3rd place - 1.000€
2x Special Honorable Mention - 500€
10x Honorable Mentions

· Schedule ·

November 15, 2021 - December 15, 2021: Early Registration Period
December 16, 2021 - January 19, 2022: Regular Registration Period
January 20, 2022 - February 16, 2022: Advanced Registration Period
February 17, 2022 - March 16, 2022: Late Registration Period
March 16, 2022: Submission Deadline
April 7, 2022: Winners Announced

· Jury ·

There’s a myriad of talented African women practicing architecture, but a lack of publicity and exposure presents difficulties in highlighting their work. This contest wants to fight this problem by having a full team of the best African architect women of the moment.

Tosin Oshinowo - cmDesign Atelier - Lagos (Nigeria)
Laila Badawi - Grids Architects - Cairo (Egypt)
Mélissa Kacoutié - Jeannette Studio - Abidjan (Ivory Coast)
Lise Isaro Katangulia - Creatture - Kigali (Rwanda)
Shahira Fahmy - Shahira Fahmy Architects - Cairo (Egypt)
Doreen Adengo - Adengo Architecture - Kampala (Uganda)
Valérie Mavoungou - Atelier Tropical - Pointe-Noire (Rep. of the Congo)
Françoise Akinosho - FAA Designs - Lagos (Nigeria)
+ more to be announced