Europe 40 Under 40 Awards Tell a friend

Kiwengwa, Tanzania

Located in a vast field cultivated with sunflowers – from which the name of the complex comes from – the new school for 350 children faces a big problem, that region: the absence of a suitable formation center for many poor, constantly growing children.

From the beginning of the design process, the sunflower has been the main source of inspiration.

Spaces are divided into 24 domes ("the petals"), arranged radially around a porch ("external corolla") and a central patio ("internal corolla").

The children's classrooms from 7 to 12 years old are located at East, in the bigger 9 domes in contact between them to block the heavy wind and the sand coming from that side. At North and at South, there are 8 domes for the administration. Αt West, there are the smaller 8 domes for the kindergarten classes and other spaces of service.

The intersection of the 24 domes of the porch, a fundamental element in an arid climate like that of Kiwengwa, has been studied to address the rainwater toward special grills in the ground and then collect it in an underground cistern set under the central well, around which the patio is developed.