Africa, the second largest continent in the world, and a vast land full of various cultures and languages is experiencing the largest population boom ever witnessed. Over a period of 50 years, its population has increased 360% to just over 1.3 billion. At this rate, it is projected that the African population will reach 2.5 billion by the year 2050 and a staggering 4.5 billion by the year 2100.

The continent’s children have suffered from a lack of proper education leaving much of sub-Saharan Africa with little ability to prepare their students for future careers in a rapidly changing world, a change driven by technology. The result is a continent with the highest rates of educational exclusion resulting in many of its people without proper schooling and qualifications and thereby unable to obtain the knowledge, skills and jobs needed to create growth in an ever-changing world driven by technology. Education will help transform the growing population into a productive labour force which can be used to harness the Africa’s abundant resources, increase commerce and transform it into a prosperous continent.

The brief is to develop conceptual design for co-educational boarding secondary school to accommodate 500-1000 students. The school complex will occupy a site of 75 acres. It should be a structurally robust building complex that would incorporate smart school principle and specific architectural qualities which considers the students’ individual learning preferences.

The school complex is to be designed to allow its users (students & teaching staff) to evolve and adapt to new ways of teaching. It should offer an inspiring setting for the students’ everyday life and education. It should be welcoming and uplifting, providing a sense of ownership and pride for pupils and staff, affords them a variety of work environments and opportunities for collaboration whether it is individual study, small groups, large groups, formal or informal.

Participants can use any site in the urban/rural and geographical context of their choice.