SAMBOU TOURA SCHOOL
HIGH SCHOOL
Completion Date
2023
Location
Marsassoum, Casamence, Senegal
Requirement
7 Classrooms
Construction Technique
Clay Bricks
The high school is located in Marsassoum, located in Casamance, in the southern part of Senegal where the climate is more humid. The existing school had four classrooms, called “temporary structures” (“abris provisoires”), made of bamboo walls and zinc roof, collapsing frequently, and two classrooms built with cement blockwork with no ventilation and finishes.
The intention was to replace these classrooms with built structures well lighted and ventilated. Archstorming organised an architectural competition to challenge participants to propose innovative and cost-effective solutions for the design and construction of Sambou Toura high school. The projects brief included a public square, a playground, seven classrooms, a library, an office, and a canteen. The winner of the competition was SOM Studio in Cali, Colombia which co-designed and cobuilt the project with us till completion.
The school is built with 25,386 bricks made in situ
Up to this date, 400 pupils enrolled
Before
Now
Drawing Credit: SOM
Construction Technique
Linear foundation made with sacks filled with laterite earth (local earth used to build the roads) is proposed to obtain an optimal transfer of loads to the ground. Compacted to its maximum strength, the SuperAdobe below ground rose up to 80cm above ground to elevate the classrooms from heavy rains, very frequent Casamance. The walls are made of bricks manufactured on site by Cinva Ram machines with a mold that allows each block to be anchored and thus minimize the use of mortar; these blocks offer enough thermal capacity to keep the interior spaces cool. The woven bamboo doors and windows have frames that allow air circulation even when they are closed, in this way and with the sloped roofs we aim to free the hot air from the inside to the outside. The roof, made of steel structure and zinc roof, is elevated from the walls, leaving a significant gap for air and light to pass through.
