Educating minds, winning hearts : The Floating Schools of Lagos,Nigeria

Every now and then comes along a project so endearing, so radically amazing that we are moved to sit up and take notice, and believe that there is still a certain bunch of people out there that are really doing some good work.

This particular project is one such example.

 We are talking about the Makoko Floating School project that is underway in the water community of Makoko of Lagos Nigeria. For the community, life on the water is nothing new. The region is prone to the occasional floods, and the residents have dealt with encroaching waters for generations by building make-shift houses, using canoes as their only form of transport.

So, NLẺ, an architectural agency, envisioned an achievable dream which would provide the residents with facilities, bringing an end to their problems. And what a better way to start it off than building a floating school! The project seeks to create floating buildings which would serve as classrooms for the children in the neighborhood.

They built a three-story architectural structure in the form of a triangular prism, which would float on water with a base made of 256 plastic drums. The floating construct is built with locally sourced wood, electrically powered with solar panels, and designed to house about 100 students.

This first generation of structures will be used to serve as schools and educational centers, but the plan does not stop here. Many more such essential facilities which would help the community gain access to better sanitation, fresh water and waste disposal will be carried out.

Furthermore, the project is designed in such a way that it is eco-friendly as well as cost-effective. Each building is also built to accommodate varying climatic conditions and weather changes.