African Design Magazine May 2015 | Page 49

International project: West Hills Pre-School T o enhance pedagogical focus on active and exploratory space, the architects designed a series of focus relations to the outdoors, and more importantly, spatial variety as implemented by the fenestration and roof lines. As an example, the alternating height window envelope defines child and adult spaces as well as it integrates the sectional shift of the program and topography. A series of pedagogical legible passive energy and water harvesting methods as well as a geothermal system provide a sustainable structure. Moreover, the roofline – besides its enunciated role in the harvesting of solar energy and water – integrates a previous attached 1950 pitch roof structure. E The project is sited on a residential neighbourhood with stringent regulations. The design co-opts the standard materials and methods and transforms their assemblage. This transformation is attained by engendering a series of geometric operations at different scales that provide a reiterative sequencing of folds and patterns. The result allows to profoundly heighten the registers of entry, environment, program and perception from within these restrictions. > africandesignmagazine.com 49