Place of Learning
Embedded in the fine grain of suburban Heideveld, the school replaces a 1950s prefabricated campus for 1 250 learners. The layout of the buildings provides a strong urban presence, simultaneously protecting the internal courtyards and providing strong street edges in a crime-ridden neighbourhood. The hall anchors the open site corner, marking the main entrance and signposting the school from across the public park. Classrooms, specialist classrooms and support functions enclose the courtyards, with safe access to the playing field. A ramp to the first floor serves as a viewing element. Grade R is separate but visually connected to the main campus. A simple palette of light facebrick and bursts of yellow denotes place and movement. Brickwork screens introduce a play of light in the treed courtyards and offer much-needed sun-filtering. The project received a CIFA Merit Award in 2023 and a SAIA Commendation in 2024.