Vimbukhalo Primary School is a newly built school in the Drakensburg region near Winterton in KwaZulu-Natal. When AECOM first visited the site in 2019, the school was in a state where learning was challenging. Temporary park homes were being used as classrooms, while the limited permanent facilities were in poor condition and deemed unsafe for use.
“The poor condition of the school presented an opportunity to reimagine the entire school areal,” comments Doreen Noetzold, Technical Director and Architectural Lead, South Africa, at AECOM. “Children are the future, and it is our responsibility to provide them with the environments and facilities they need to thrive and learn. Often underestimated, a pleasant, warm and well-suited environment plays a crucial role in supporting effective learning and academic success.”
Noetzold was able to develop a new concept that seamlessly merged the design standards of the end client, the Department of Education of KwaZulu-Natal (DOE), with a functional and playful architectural vision, to create a space that supports both learning and creativity for teachers and students.
Designing for the public sector is often associated with constraints and a focus on practical, maintainable solutions, sometimes at the expense of innovation or design ambition. It is a perception the team aimed to challenge in a considered and responsible manner.
The project was a significant reminder of the challenges facing essential infrastructure such as schools in South Africa. “Maintenance is a consistent challenge in public schools across the country, which is why sustainable and durable construction methods and materials were a key focus in building the school,” says Sheldon Frankish, Project Manager, South Africa.
“I was committed to respecting the client’s desire for consistency across all their schools, while also identifying opportunities, both spatial and conceptual, where architectural expression, thoughtful design and even a sense of playfulness could emerge,” says Noetzold. The result was a careful balance between meeting practical requirements and finding opportunities to elevate the everyday experience of the school environment through design.
The placement of buildings on-site is critical. It defines the relationships and adjacencies between structures, shaping how they interact and how people move between them. Just as importantly, it determines the character and quality of the open spaces formed between buildings.
Noetzold continues: “These spaces not only reinforce spatial relationships but also create valuable opportunities for outdoor activity and alternative modes of learning. This was achieved by allowing the buildings to meander through the site, much like a river winds its way through the countryside, establishing a natural flow.”
The various school blocks frame a series of gardens that provide children with spaces to play, explore, learn and relax. Each of these gardens can be designated for a specific age group and have been designed to meet their developmental needs, fostering a sense of ownership and belonging.
The result is a well-connected, inward-looking school that prioritises the safety and privacy of young learners. This introverted layout also encourages internal interaction, bringing different grades together while allowing for separation and privacy through the careful shaping of partially secluded open spaces. The design of the school blocks also reflects these guiding principles. Outward facing façades are deliberately more closed, with smaller high-level windows to ensure privacy and security.
In contrast, the façades facing the internal gardens are more open, featuring large windows that invite a strong visual and spatial connection between inside and out, as well as utilising natural light. In today’s fast-paced, industrialised society, access to green spaces and regular contact with the natural environment are more important than ever for wellbeing, growth and a holistic learning experience.
While paint is often perceived as a high-maintenance element, Noetzold strongly advocated for the inclusion of painted elements throughout the school as essential in creating a vibrant, engaging environment that has a positive impact on the overall learning experience.
“Challenges often present opportunities. As an architect, I am trained to identify and explore these opportunities, pushing boundaries to achieve the most positive outcomes for all stakeholders while promoting modern educational principles and new ways of learning through design,” says Noetzold.
“In addition, as an international company with a focus on global, multidisciplinary projects for a range of clients for high-end, mega projects, we also ensure our work is impactful and supports our local communities. We care deeply about this and are always eager to contribute to the improvement of local communities,” she highlights.
Community-focused design offers architects a meaningful way to create spaces that go beyond aesthetics and function and contribute to social wellbeing, equity and sustainability. The project also reflected the ethos of AECOM’s Sustainable Legacies approach.
Sustainable development and innovation were thoughtfully integrated into the project in a way that was both appropriate and effective, helping to meet environmental goals while also delivering lasting social value to the local community. During the construction phase, the main contractor applied a certain percentage of the project scope to local subcontractors and labour to benefit local businesses.
‘Delivering a better world’ is one of AECOM’s key objectives and Vimbukhalo Primary School is a strong testament to this commitment. From a design perspective, the school serves as a second home to the students, many of whom come from less privileged backgrounds, offering them a nurturing and supportive environment.
As a leading provider of integrated design consultancy services within the construction sector, AECOM assembled a multidisciplinary team of in-house design professionals for this project, enabling seamless collaboration from the outset.
Regular design, technical and coordination meetings were held to ensure alignment across all disciplines and stakeholders to focus the team on achieving the project objectives. During the construction phase, the introduction of consistent progress meetings allowed for close monitoring of the schedule, allowing the team to address challenges and mitigate delays promptly.
“Our integrated, multidisciplinary structure significantly contributed to faster project delivery and enhanced coordination throughout the lifecycle of the project,” says Frankish. As a global leader in programme and project management, AECOM deployed client and end-user focused strategies to ensure project objectives and goals were met. “The project’s success was a result of the collaborative approach of all stakeholders, who came together to work towards the common goal,” he adds.
One of the main challenges on the project included the characteristics of the soil profile on-site. This prompted the professional team to conduct a full, in-depth analysis to determine conclusive engineering solutions that were developed and completed in the construction phase for a resilient development.
“What I appreciated most was the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in this underserved local community. Rural areas often face significant challenges such as limited access to electricity and clean water. This school addresses those fundamental needs, ensuring that young learners have access to essential resources, allowing them to focus fully on their education and personal development,” says Noetzold.
“Considering the background and history of the school, where learning and teaching out of temporary structures was the norm, the improvements brought by the project will provide a conducive learning environment that will inspire and educate the community for years to come,” concludes Noetzold.
