In August 2015, we designed and built two classrooms and a semi-outside terrace of the elementary school called Happy Promotion Center.

Happy Promotion Center is a non-formal school originally founded at Mukuru Kwa Reuben in 2009. Classes were held initially at a teacher’s house, then at a local community hall. As the number of students had increased, the school owner decided to acquire a new plot at Mukuru Kwa Njenga and build classrooms. At Mukuru, a land price is calculated based on “how many rooms can be built”, instead of the area of the land. In this case, “a room” indicates a standardized 10 ft by 10 ft room of rental houses. On the land the school acquired, five rooms could be built.

At that time, the school had almost 40 students, ranging from the kindergarten age to the fifth grade, and two teachers. We talked with the school operator and decided to build them in the following ways:

The first two points were measures to improve the school gradually and operate and utilize the building properly. The latter two were measures to choose minimum and suitable building specification, cut down the cost, and harmonize the new building into the local standard.

A drain system is not established well at this area, so inundation above a floor level happens on any day during the rainy season. An alley can also flood up to the calf level, which makes it difficult for small children to go to the school. What was most important for construction of these classrooms was making a proper foundation and floor slab with concrete, which could address the flooding issue. On the other hand, their structural frame such as columns and beams was wooden and their walls and roofs were made of galvanized iron sheet, the common building material of the neighborhood. Locally, buildings made in this construction method are called Temporary Structure, and regarded as lower quality buildings than what is called Permanent Structure made of stones and reinforced concrete.

However, we considered that the Temporary Structure was more appropriate for this construction. In addition to its low construction cost, this construction method is easier for self build and more suitable for potential transformation of the building such as extension, reduction, and relocation. To address the low heat insulating property, the common disadvantage of the Temporary Structure, we added the secondary wall from inside.

Its general design was created in Japan with students of Imoto Laboratory. To self-build the classrooms in two weeks on the project site, we chose a construction method, created drawings, and quoted the cost. On the project site, the school operator created a construction team, mainly of skilled workers around the school.

A craftsman led the team, and some young people in the neighborhood joined in some simple installation works. Japanese staff also participated in many aspects of the installation, such as purchase and delivery of construction material, excavation, and timber processing. With the contribution of those people, the installation proceeded as it was planned. Due to lack of electricity supply, we had to do everything manually. We had to bring building materials through a narrow alley that a car cannot pass through, and carried them by hand.

While the construction period was slightly extended, classrooms were completed in about three weeks, and the first class was held about a week later. Local people immediately found out that the new classrooms were built, and it didn’t take long to secure thirty students from the neighborhood. Later, by being acknowledged by the then Ministry of Social Development, the school improved its status to an authorized school.