a small board (45 x 35 cm) becomes seat, table and school bag in one = passport for education.
All nomad pupils need is a portable bag made basically of a wooden board: one side is the writing desk, the back side has a leather seat to sit on; between seat and table there is a pocket for pencils, notebooks, books. Nothing else needed — besides a teacher . . . and school can begin.
The project is financed by the association AmiMali e.V. Donations are welcome. Communities interested in the Mobile Device feel free to email AmiMali e.V. I am personally very curious how this mobile device will look in different cultures.
More images can be found on the ar2com – kommunikative archietktur aus darmstadt.
No School for Tuareg-Kids without Global Communication
Direct communication between human beings beyond cultures and nations is an important task in building a social environment. The right for education is part of the human rights bill. Vernacular buildings help us survive because we need local identity.
In the foto the Tuareg tent is still missing which will arrive in July. More fotos and plans can be seen at the architecture website.
The project is financed by the association AmiMali e.V. Donations are welcome. An annex is in construction. A different Tuareg clan is waiting for its own school.
You can listen to the feature of the Scarab School at the Hessischer Rundfunk, a public German broadcasting station.
The German Newspaper Darmstädter Echo published an article about the school: Die Wüstenschule aus dem Internet Westafrika: Darmstädter Architektin entwarf für und mit Tuareg-Nomaden in Mali einen Unterrichtsbau aus Lehm by Petra Neumann-Prystaj.
The school was presented at the Malian stand during the world urban forum in Rio de Janeiro.
I attached an interview by Salif Sanogo working for TV ORTM, the national broadcasting in Mali, in French.
The Scarab School has been awarded at World Architecture Community.