Cocoon

Description

The proposal suggests the archetype of a courtyard as the locus for a safe, intimate, nurturing, and community-oriented school. The centripetally arranged building creates a social dynamic which encourages the enriching interaction between pupils of different ages where students and faculty from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds may thrive within the same space. Drawing inspiration from the craft of thatching, evident in the vernacular architecture throughout Africa, the courtyard building and its users are literally and metaphorically protected and embraced by a layered outer façade — while the moments of opening allow users to peer outwards from within, visually connecting back to the network of the city.