A team of international organizations unites to construct new schools that will aid 10,000 kids and their surrounding communities

NEW YORK – December 18, 2015 – Following the devastation of the April 25, 2015 Earthquake in Nepal, SHoP has partnered with Kids of Kathmandu and Asia Friendship Network (AFN) to help rebuild 50 public schools in the hardest hit areas. These new schools will not only replace lost schools, they will raise the bar for public education in remote regions of Nepal. A comprehensive plan ensures that local communities as a whole will benefit from the support systems installed and provided by the schools. Conceived as a flexible system, adaptable to different site conditions and available resources, and demonstrated in several prototypes, the structures are designed to ensure easy assembly with a limited kit of parts comprised of materials readily available in the affected regions. The hope is that this approach will provide a model for non-governmental organizations to build safe and responsible full-service schools in other communities in the future.

Equipped with solar electricity generation, integrated water purification systems, new kitchen facilities, and wireless internet powering donated computers, the new earthquake-resistant school buildings will take a holistic approach to enhancing the children’s learning experience. In addition, these schools will serve as community centers—making their resources available after-hours, and even in some cases providing electricity and clean water to their respective villages. The schools are also designed to serve as safe havens in the event of another emergency. Incorporating concrete slab foundations and resilient steel truss roof systems, the new primary and secondary school buildings are designed from the ground up to survive future quakes intact. The design of the schools also forefronts the creation of an environment that supports learning and community engagement. Classrooms are arranged to provide ample light and air, with built-in storage units to maximize space and materials chosen specifically to dampen noise and minimize distractions. Each school will also contain a purpose-built library and kitchen, available to the community as well in times of need. Sheltered spaces for gathering are created by the broad overhangs of the angled roof, and all exterior walls are left purposefully smooth and blank to encourage the vibrant local tradition of mural art.

Two different building systems have been designed for the primary and secondary schools depending on each school’s unique layout. The single-story primary school buildings use locally-sourced earth brick construction in addition to the concrete and steel. This method of construction was chosen to best make use of local volunteer labor, enabling members of each community to participate in the building of its school. The two-story secondary school buildings combine compressed earth brick bearing walls with reinforced concrete columns. Earth brick construction uses soil from the site to create the bricks themselves, saving cost on transportation and material—of particular importance given the remoteness of the sites, several of which are accessible only by canoe-ferry across local rivers. Compressed earth bricks, once cured, have the compressive strength of standard kiln-fired masonry bricks. This structural system creates a much more robust building solution than the predecessor schools that were lost in the quake.

“We're always looking at ways to help people through design," SHoP principal Kim Holden said. "In the past, we've provided plans for a pedestrian bridge at Ground Zero after September 11, and sent a team to design and build a community center for Delisle, Mississippi, a town that was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. We were all struck by the news of the Nepal earthquake, but we didn't know how we could help. When Kids of Kathmandu approached us, we were enthralled and immediately began to brainstorm possible design solutions. We will also be sharing the architectural designs online to assist other groups and communities in building safe and responsible schools without the added expense of architecture and engineering planning. This is really a kit of parts that can serve communities everywhere in times of need.”

An extensive list of international partners, guided by expert local Nepali staff, guarantees that a thoughtful and responsive approach is taken while rebuilding the schools. “Kids of Kathmandu and our partners have done a great deal of work to ensure the 50 schools we rebuild in rural Nepal will be safe and affordable,” said Andrew Raible, Kids of Kathmandu’s Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer. “Our design and engineering allows us to maximize our donors’ dollars to provide a 21st century educational experience and prepare the children for their future in this ever-evolving country.” Together the partnerships collective experience will enable the team to complete the task of rebuilding the schools in a thoughtful and responsible way that will impact the lives of 10,000 kids, and to give them the opportunity to become productive and thoughtful individuals in an ever changing society.