ARCHITECTURE
It can deliver speed and efficiency without compromising architectural quality or creativity.
An African test case
BPAS Architects demonstrated this at Curro Durbanville High School in Cape Town, where the firm was tasked with integrating temporary classrooms into an existing campus. The project came with tight timeframes and the added pressure of minimising disruption to teaching and end-of-year examinations.
Using modular thinking and prefabricated interlocking panel systems, the team was able to fast-track construction while maintaining design continuity with the existing school environment. Rather than reading as makeshift additions, the classrooms became cohesive extensions of the campus.
“ Temporary doesn’ t have to mean inferior. In an educational setting especially, the quality of the built environment matters. Even provisional structures should support dignity, focus, and a sense of belonging”, Collen moots.
The use of prefabricated panels allowed for rapid on-site assembly, consistent quality control, and future adaptability. Panels could be added, removed, or reconfigured as needs changed, extending the lifespan and usefulness of the buildings beyond their initial brief.
For Collen, the key to successful modular construction is understanding it for what it is: a smarter way of building, not a shortcut.“ When modular thinking is applied thoughtfully, it doesn’ t simplify architecture,” Collen concludes.“ It makes it more resilient, more adaptable and, ultimately, more responsive to the people who use it.”
28 winter 2026 | www. tobuild. co. za