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The SupaMaasai Cultural Centre

school: McGill University
type: graduate thesis pre-design // community center
location: Loodariak, Kenya

The SupaMaasai Cultural Centre was the first project I designed in Loodariak for The SupaMaasai Foundation, a Toronto-based organization that supports Maasai youth and women in Kenya. After completing the project I was able to reproach it again in the form of an in-depth academic research and design thesis.

 
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The Approach

Long stone walls create a series of semi-enclosed private spaces that can be used for gardens or as controlled areas to test new crops. The walls also act as large thermal masses that passively keep the interior of the building cool during the day and warm at night. In addition, the shape and orientation of the walls also help passively cool the building by directing outside breezes into the interior spaces.

 
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Entry Gates

By cutting into and out of the earth, the centre deeply imbeds its self into both the landscape and the local culture. By this method, the ground plane is extended upwards and outwards, allowing for multiple modes of occupation on top, between, within and outside the building.

 
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Courtyard

The courtyard of the SupaMaasai Cultural Centre provides a protected and sheltered oasis for contemplation, activity, and leisure. By preserving a series of beautiful Acacia trees and providing shaded terraces, various zones emerge as places for congregation and relaxation.

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Interior

Interior spaces feature familiar textures and local materials appropriate to the Maasai culture while maintaining a contemporary design and feel. Large windows help to frame the landscape and extend one’s perception of space out into the landscape while blurring the boundaries between inside and outside.

 
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Further Development

After completing this initial design of the SupaMaasai Cultural Centre, I had the opportunity to re-approach the design problem again within my final masters thesis at McGill University. This second approach allowed me to critically reassess the design decisions I had previously made in order to inform a more in-depth and comprehensive final design.

Click here to see the updated design

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