Public Award ‘Popular Choice Winner’

On Monday June 6th 2022, winners of the Architizer A+ Awards 2022 were announced by the Architizer organization from New York. The public award in the category ‘Architecture for Good’ is awarded to the National Teachers Colleges (NTC) Uganda project. It consists of a large-scale campus renovation and new build facilities at 2 educational locations near the towns of Kaliro and Mubende, both in Uganda. The build project for approximately 2,000 students, featuring 24 renovated buildings and 8 new buildings, encompasses student and teacher housing, classroom buildings, energy-efficient kitchens, sports facilities, sustainable energy facilities, waste recycling systems, and food production facilities.

Kaliro new student housing
Photo credit: Eppo Karsijns - Red Pixl Media

The project was realized as part of a joint venture collaboration between Oubuntu Consulting, DASUDA, and bkvv architects. The clients of this large-scale project are the Ministry of Education and Sports in Uganda, and the Belgium Development Agency. The project is funded by the Belgian Government. NTC is part of an ambitious national program to improve education in Uganda. The approach for NTC is for future teachers to become examples for a better Uganda. Living and learning at NTC campus is a reflection of that goal.

Mubende Resource Centre library reading room
Photo credit: Eppo Karsijns - Red Pixl Media

Mubende class room block interior
Photo credit: Eppo Karsijns - Red Pixl Media

Kaliro Study Shade public pavilion
Photo credit: Eppo Karsijns - Red Pixl Media

Architizer A+ Award

The A+Awards celebrate the extraordinary work of the world's best firms, highlighting the work of pioneering architects and designers as they strive to create architecture that will stand the test of time. Out of 5,000 entries received from 100+ countries, a team of reputable judges have nominated five finalists within each award category. Popular Choice Winners were awarded in several categories, with over 400,000 votes cast by the voting public. The Architecture + for Good category celebrates projects and architects that use their skills and passions to address crises in collaboration with communities.

Kaliro new student housing
Photo credit: Eppo Karsijns - Red Pixl Media

Mubende Multifunctional Hall facade detailMubende Multifunctional Hall facade detail
Photo credit: Eppo Karsijns - Red Pixl

National Teachers Colleges Uganda

The Minister of State and Ambassador of Belgium signed the Manifesto for Climate Responsive Design during the inauguration ceremony, with NTC being the first project in Uganda acknowledged as a best practice example. The project is poised to become a reference for institutional developments in the country. It features indoor and outdoor spaces, as well as local artisan technology applications. It also focuses on the enhancement of the green environment through local-bio diversity safeguards and water protection. NTC uses locally available materials, such as bamboo and earth bricks, that promote community participation. Simple but pleasant architecture optimizes natural lighting, ventilation, and passive cooling, resulting in thermal comfort spaces with a relatively low indoor temperature. At the same time, it features low-cost maintenance, as well as a reduction in project and implementation period costs. No air conditioning is required, as all of the buildings have a cool internal temperature.

Mubende Resource Centre
Photo credit: Eppo Karsijns - Red Pixl Media

Kaliro student common room
Photo credit: Eppo Karsijns - Red Pixl Media

Mubende Multifunctional Hall kitchen detail
Photo credit: Eppo Karsijns - Red Pixl Media

About DASUDA

DASUDA stands for Dutch Alliance for Sustainable Urban Development in Africa. The foundation is a collaborative collective between a number of European and African experts, including physicists, economists, ecologists, engineers, architects, landscape designers, urban designers, and planners.

About bkvv architects

Design is guided by its location, and bkvv architects discover the energy of a place and translate it into spatial solutions. The existing is the starting point for development of a building, a living environment, and a community. bkvv architects focus on the realization of climate-friendly architecture, harnessing learning and curiosity to recognize values and opportunities that provide answers to questions.