Wecare Children's Home
"It is fundamental that community activity be enriched and nourished by the quality and integrity of place"
John Rushmere
Client:
Wecare Generation
Description:
A new facility to house orphaned children of an existing orphanage and act as a temporary school facility.
Site:
The site is situated in Kahawa West, outside of Nairobi - a settlement that consist of one to three storey concrete frame buildings interwoven with informal dwellings made of corrugated iron, timber and stone.
The project site is an infil condition with one edge facing the street.
Concept:
The essence of the project was to create an expanded home. A strong sense of contentedness
emphasizes the importance of the whole over the parts and thereby the family over the individual.
Each individual child was in turn given natural light and a connection to the shared living space, instilling dignity into all spaces and individuals.
Space:
All spaces are arranged around a central courtyard. Two typologies were developed for children's rooms to allow for differentiation between the ages of kids.
Materiality:
The typical concrete frame and block work infill construction as appears in the area was proposed.
Climate:
Kenya has high humidity and temperatures throughout the year. The shaded central courtyard and the maximization of cross ventilation ensures that a moderate internal climate is kept.
