At the heart of the ECD center lie communal programs: a semi-outdoor dining space and a paved play area. These communal spaces are angled to open up to views of the natural conservation zone.The school is a product of a two year process orchestrated by Cornell University Sustainable Design, an interdisciplinary student-led organization at Cornell University. Students, with the help of academic advisors and industry professionals, executed the project through a semester of research, a semester of design development integrated into the Bachelor of Architecture comprehensive design studio curriculum, and three months of construction.
Students collaborated with local partners in construction and education to refine the design. Over thirty student volunteers traveled to South Africa to construct the school alongside local laborers from the surrounding neighborhood, Cosmo City. Strong emphasis is placed on sustainable passive sustainable technologies to decrease cost and energy dependency. Conscientious decisions in resiliency are found in all dimensions of the project: the architectural design, construction methods, material production and purchasing, included facilities, project financing and day-to-day operations. (A year after construction, the ECD center was still not connected to the grid.
The teachers, however, were not worried: they explained that these passive technologies create a bright, warm, and efficacious school without the use of electricity.)This project was completed with generous support from Cornell University, in partnership with Education Africa, Play-With-A-Purpose, Basil Read Developments, and the City of Johannesburg. Please visit http://cusd.cornell.edu/ssa for more information regarding CUSD.PROFESSORS:Jeremy Foster, Kifle G Gebremedhin, Werner Goehner, George Hascup, Alex Mergold, Arthur Ovaska, Andrea SimitchSTUDENTS VOLUNTEERS:Barry Beagen (Project Director), Andrew Fu (Lead Designer), Shuping Liu (Construction Drawing Coordinator), Thomas Shouler (Structural Engineer), Jonathan Leape (Construction Manager), Mikey Jiang (Utilities), Karen Chi-Chi Lin (Marketing and Communications), Carly Dean (Exhibition Director and On-Site Safety Manager), Jesse McElwain (Director of Development)Sidney Beaty, Joe Beaudette, Yen Chiang, Christine Chung, Alex Cote, Jorge Cuervo Manrique, Mercedes Cuvi, Will Dibernardo, Robert Dicker, Juliette Dubroca, Mary Bray Erickson, Ben Fleury, Jessica Fracassini, Stephanie Glass, Stephanie Gitto, Mikhail Grinwald, Wendy Gu, Peter Gudonis, Laura Hammerer, Donald Hicks, Wei-Yen Hsieh, Siyabonga Jezile, Alexandrea Klimoski, Yoonjee Koh, Joecyln Kuo, Tiffany Kuo, Johnny Lau, Brian Lee, Michael Lee, Jacqueline Liu, Daniel Lu, Erin Pellegrino, Lexi Quint, Jake Rudin, Eric Rutgers, Lillian Simon, Alex Simpson, Tito Soto, Elliot Sperling, Carina Steinhoff, Jose Tijerina, Daniel Torres, Maria Villarraga, Shu WangLOCAL CONSTRUCTION TEAM:Ntumeko Fodom, Siyabonga Jezile, Beerlina Kedibone, Thobelahi Kotji, Anthony Longo, Oupa Mabuza, Patience Mahlangu, Tlantla Mahlangu, Winnie Mdekazi, Adill Mike, Apacia Ndubane, Mouso Nkosi, Looseboy Nthogelany, Lefa Phogole,Rejinah Seefane, Dinah Sefularo, Kara Schnoes, Tshepo Simon, Victor Ubisi
With Support and Consulting
FROM:Basil Read Developments, City of Johannesburg, Cosmo City Community, Education Africa, Play-With-A-Purpose, African Olive Concepts, AfriSam, BSI Steel, Builders Warehouse, Cochrane Steel, ClearVu, Development Consulting, Doka South Africa, Duro Pressings / Windcolor, Govenders Aluminum and Glass, Hilti, Investec Bank, Investec Property, Laser Sprint, Raft Crete, Sabvest, Set Point Group, Saint-Gobain, Spiral Engineering, Target Cranes, Tetra Tech (USA) , AEC Software, Arcus Gibb, Engineering, Atkinson Center for Sustainable Future, Blitz, Brencon Plumbing, Build Collective, BuildLab, Buro Happold (USA), Cargill, Codevco, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Architecture, Art and Planning, College of Engineering, Cornell University, Crane QS, CTM, Dipcivils, Eskom, Eurolux, Exclusive Books, F&S Scaffolding, Gabion Baskets, Gass Architecture Design Studio, Green Vibe, Green Power, Hamlyn Gebhardt, Hertz, The Homestead, HR Evergreen, Hydromulch, ImageWorld, Illovo, iMaria Calderone, Infraset, Jambo Security, Logical Landscaping, Marie-Louise & Marie-Claire Willys, Mekan Engineering Services, Metrofile, Mike & Lexi O Connell, Norcon Electrical, Norton Cooper, The Paving Company, PD Solutions, Profica, Rent-A-Toilet, Rusty Keeler, Steinhoff International, Susan &, Christopher Greig, Top Chord Truss & Tile CC, TPSP Architects, Treadsafe Footwear, Ultimate Raft Design, Uniforms for Africa, Vaal Sanitaryware, Virgin Atlantic,Warner Projects, Water Rhapsody, Westbury Food Concepts, Xerox