Adaptable architecture for an evolving educational system : the design of a facility for adult basic education and vocational training in the Greater Warwick Junction Precinct.

Abstract

Currently in South Africa there are over 8 million people who have had little or no formal schooling. This has resulted in a large portion of the population that is unable to read and write or participate fully in society. The Adult Basic Education and Training Act of 2000 declares that access to education for adults is a basic human right, and it should therefore be readily available to the population. However, in KwaZulu-Natal there are only a few centres which offer ABET courses, and those that do have mostly not been designed specifically for this function, but are schools and community centres. This has meant that facilities are often inappropriate and inefficient in addressing the needs of the adult learner. It is in response to the current educational shortage that a Centre for Adult Basic Education and Training for Durban has been proposed. Through this study, key aspects relating to the design of a centre for adult education were examined. These included the response to an urban context, movement in the city and buildings, the quality of the learning environment, and the needs of the adult learner. In order to develop the architecture for a Centre for Adult Basic Education and Vocational Training, these principles were analysed and understood in order to make a meaningful response. This research examines some of the complex factors which influence the design of a Centre for Adult Basic Education and Vocational Training in Durban in order to provide a centre that provides all the necessary services in one building. Primary and secondary data collection methods were used, in the form of interviews, case studies, a literature review and precedent studies. The research was then used in order to draw up a design brief, resulting in the design of a Centre for Adult Basic Education and Vocational Training.