Flying Kites Classroom Block

Need & Opportunity

The Flying Kites Teacher Training Center & Academy is a hub for Kenya’s public school teachers and a model school in a region where access to primary education is not guaranteed.

Solution & Value Add

The new classroom block, completed in 2018, consists of 10 classrooms. The primary design consideration was the sloping terrain of the project site. All classrooms are on the main level – to maximize natural light for student learning – and a daylight lower floor consists of a large meeting area.

The classrooms are situated around a central amphitheater outdoor learning space. Twenty-three-foot tall mahogany and glass walls encompass the amphitheater, allowing natural light to flow into the interior space. Because of the semi-alpine climate (8,000’ altitude), windows were used abundantly to maintain a heated interior.