The floating school built for Nigeria's water world

[Nipuna]

(Image: Nlé)

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In Makoko, Nigeria, a water-world of homes above the sea is no futuristic fantasy. For generations, people have lived in this sprawling slum on stilts above the lagoon that surrounds the country's capital, Lagos.

This floating school aims to bring much-needed education to the children of Makoko. At the same time, its architects say it is an exploration of how African cities can cope with the breakneck pace of urbanisation, and the flooding and sea-level rise brought on by climate change.

The school was built by local builders out of reclaimed materials from the area: it uses the empty plastic barrels abundant in Lagos as floats, for example. Its three levels include an open play space on the bottom, an enclosed classroom area in the middle and workshop space on the top. The school opened in spring 2013 and can accommodate up to 100 students.

It was designed by architect Kunlé Adeyemi and his firm Nlé. It has been nominated in the architecture category of the Designs of the Year award at the Design Museum in London: the winners will be announced in June.