Holcim Awards for Sustainable Construction 2010/11

Guided by principles of sustainable development, Kéré stresses the importance of clay as one of the main building materials. The Gando School project taught the local people how to refine clay and local materials, and how different construction techniques could further improve the performance. In 1998 Kéré founded the association „Schulbausteine für Gando“ to raise private money and government support to replace Gandos dark and small school in 2001. The construction of teachers accommodation, with standards to
match the school building, followed the school. It does not only provides education for the village children, it is also used to pass on new skills and knowledge to the entire community. Growing numbers of students affected the necessity of a school extension which has been completed in 2008. The school counts today more than 700 pupils. A public library is currently under construction. The Secondary School-Gando is giving the graduate students the accessibility to further education, and is therefore enhancing the sustainability of the educational opportunities created. The extremely hot weather conditions in the area, make studying in buildings without air-conditioning very difficult. That is why the innovative climatic system of natural ventilation is so important. To develop this system further, all interior spaces are embeded in the new designed landscape in order to create a shadowed oasis. The project is looking for a sustainable use of resources to provide natural ventilation without any use of electricity. The natural
ventilation system works with low-tech, cost-effective earth-tubes, which is a sustainable,
zero-energy passive geothermal solar cooling system. The rich vegetation near the ground pre-filters the incoming air. The air routes through the underground tubes to achieve a cooling effect inside of the buildings, by entering through holes in the floor. The hot air in the classroom rises through openings in the ceiling into the space between the
ceiling and roof cladding. The large overhang of the roof allows the wind to circulate free in the space between ceiling and roof, providing a rapid exchange of air. Pressure differences between inlet and outlet facilitate the natural flow of air. Rain water will be introduced in the pipe by dropping from a basin, which is integrated in the landscape. Due to the massive deforestation which has taken part in the past, the region is now facing the expansion of the desert. To prevent the dehydration of the ground, collected rainwater irrigates the lately planted trees around the existing school buildings. The reforestation is continued in the Secondary School-Gando and creates leisure space. The programme of the school complex consists of 12 classrooms, a library with internet- connection and assembly hall, an administrative part and various sports fields. The school complex gives space to 600 students.