German University in Cairo
Winterschool-Designbuildstudio LEARN-MOVE-PLAY-GROUND 2 Improving courtyards of public primary schools in Cairo 15th -26th of February 2014
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Theme:
Format:
Date:
Feb 15–26, 2014
Organized by: baladilab
1
Venue: Shagarat Al Durr school (Ibn Tulun) + Asmaa Bint Abi Bakr school (New Cairo)
Event Language: English and Arabic


Improving schoolyards of primary public schools in Cairo. A Winter School open to Egyptian and German architecture students, which aims at creating inspiring playgrounds in public primary schools where children can spend time playing together, relaxing and moving.

LMPG_II is the follow up of the summer school LMPG_I, which, due to the vast success, will be replicated in two further public schools in Cairo, this time with a special focus on Pedagogy.

 

- The main TARGETS are

> involving children and teachers in the designing and implementing process

> improving the quality of the existing outdoor spaces

> developing the responsibility of the children towards their environment

> motivating children, teachers and parents to initialise further activities.

The Winter School will give students the possibility to work in a cross-cultural group, experience participatory planning and implement their own design. Moreover, it will show that there is a big potential in involving children in the process of shaping their own environment.

 

- METHOD

WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE BETTER ENVIRONMENTS

Students and project team will work together with the children and teachers to find out

their ideas and helping them in understanding the potentials of their schoolyards. In a

participatory process the students will develop a design for cheap and durable furniture, out of local material. Finally, the furniture will be implemented by all the participants.

 

SUPPORTING CREATIVITY IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS

The Winter School will contribute to the process of transformation of education in Egypt focusing on the built environment. Considering that the built environment has an impact on school achievements and the cultural education, the project will improve the current bleak playgrounds, showing the children that the space where we live is our own responsibility.

Developing creativity skills is currently not part of the Egyptian curriculum. The project will involve children and teachers in the design process, encouraging and supporting their imagination. Moreover, working together in the implementation will create a strong identification between the children and the products, producing responsibilities

for the maintenance in the future.