Designing a safe, repeatable dormitory.

“The design of our dormitory has undergone numerous changes in its evolution. From the beginning, we wanted to create a blueprint that satisfies four main goals: practicality, cost-effectiveness, security and repeatability. We wanted to create a design that ensured students’ safety, yet in a way that can be achieved with a low cost and by using generic materials that can be sourced even in remote locations.

From an original design in 2018 (depicted below), the building was staged further and further down, and any unnecessary components we found were stripped from the build. In the end we discarded the original plans, as they became too difficult (and too expensive) to complete. We wiped the slate clean.

I met up with an old construction colleague, (Ben Campbell Constructions out of Brisbane) and we brainstormed how we could create a design that satisfies the ideals mentioned earlier. We took some reference from old Roman architecture (a personal favourite of ours) and realised that an atrium-style building would satisfy our needs. Having an internal courtyard ensured that the children were safe inside their building, and as the building becomes the external wall itself, no fence was needed.

The atrium design also allowed for our water catchment to run off the roof to collection tanks at the rear, the male/female dorms were able to be naturally separated into each ‘wing,’ and the well could then be placed in the courtyard, protected by the walls of the building. The atrium design also proved to be the most cost effective method, as, essentially, we are building a great big shed with a hole cut out in the middle. While that may sound unfavourable, the hole in the centre also acts as a natural heat-dispersing ventilation. We designed windows and breezeway bricks on all external and internal walls, which forces ventilation, causing a breeze which naturally sucks the hot air out of the centre of the roof...