The Rudolf Steiner School Mbagathi in Nairobi is, as I understood, seen as a very good example, or even a model, for the design and layout of the new school to be built in Kitale. I spent a little bit less than one week there to suck in the atmosphere and adapt to the Kenyan context, weather and culture, and to study the design and constructive details of the different buildings. This constitutes what I would call an "Inspiration period".
Wednesday 13th of June
Just before checking in for my plane to Kenya on Tuesday evening, I had the unexpected opportunity to meet Juliet Mia, the head teacher of the Waldorf school in Kitale, that is to say one of the key figures of the new school project. What a coincidence that she was coming back from visiting her sister who lives in Germany just a few hours before my plane takes off! We sat at a café at Arlanda airport and could meet each other in a more proper way that the Skype meeting that we had a few weeks before, while I was in France and she in Sweden helping raise money for the school through events organised by Anja and Förening Sofia.
Juliet will be back to Kenya a couple of days after I arrive there, and head to Kitale on Sunday. We therefore decided that I would wait for her in Nairobi, visiting and studying the Rudolf Steiner School where Anja has worked for tree years as a teacher, before Juliet and I travel together to Kitale.
After a night in the plane and a layover in Doha, I arrived to Nairobi in the beginning of afternoon with only a few hours of sleep. A taxi brings me in about one hour to the very peaceful location of the Rudolf Steiner School Mbagathi, situated to the south of Nairobi National Park.
With several non-square buildings placed in a large green property, it is the biggest antroposophic boarding school in Kenya, counting more than 300 pupils from kindergarten to class 9 (3 to 15 years old). This week is holidays and all children, except for a dozen of them, have been sent home. The atmosphere is strangely quiet for a boarding school, but that will give me the chance to visit the different buildings and inspect every "funny corner" without drawing attention, and ask questions to the few teachers and staff members present without disturbing.
I am welcomed by Judith Brown, the school leader. She takes me to one of the guest huts where I can stay for a few days for a little sum of money in support to the school. As testify a cheesy picture in a frame next to the bed, this hut was built in 2005 by a family from San Francisco with the understanding that all visitors
are welcome here.
The kitchen and dining area
What a nice covered open space with high ceiling and plenty of light! The trusses, made of pieces of wood assembled together, make a beautiful structure supported by concrete pillars spaced by approximately 4x6 m. I wonder however how loud it becomes in the dinning area when the heavy rain hits the corrugated metal sheets. "Very loud, said the cook, we can't hear each other". What would be a cheap, local and practical solution to dump that sound? I will keep my eyes open.
Thursday 14th of June
The "Waldorf Steiner "wibe" is well present here. Although the typical colours of pastel purple, green and yellow that are recurrent in German and Swedish Waldorf-Steiner architecture are barely present here, one encounters in many places colourful art pieces and craftsmanship works, such as for example a mosaic on the facade of the Office building.
The imaginative craftsmanship of the windows and doors, be they in metal or wood, is not without reminding the shapes of the openings of the different buildings of the antroposophic village of Ytterjärna, next to Södertälje in Sweden, that my colleagues and I visited last November.
Window frames in Ytterjärna, Sweden (from left to right: Örjanskolan, Solvikskolan and Vidarkliniken):
Window and door frames in Rudolf Steiner School Mbagathi:
The similarity between this school in Nairobi and the architecture of Ytterjärna is not a coincidence, as it is antroposophic architects from Sweden and Germany who designed most of the buildings. The thing I would like to investigate more in details is how and through which concepts and ideas he strove to combine the "classical Steiner architecture" with the local building traditions, know-hows, materials, climate and culture.
The Girls Boarding
Interesting to note: The right wing has been added in a later phase. The washing facilities on the back are most probably a vernacular extension.
This afternoon I also made a round trip to the city center to visit the head quarters of Orkidstudio, an architecture and construction practice working for social development through building, where I hope to do an externship in August. That gave me the unfortunate occasion to experience the infamous huge traffic jams of Nairobi, with more than 3 hours to ride back to the school, instead of 45 min in "normal" conditions.
Friday 15th of June
Judith Brown, the head teacher of the school, opened for me the classrooms and kindergarten:
The Classrooms
The 8 classrooms where designed in 1992 by the German architects Johannes Wohlleber and implemented in several steps. Although made of straight walls, they are arranged in two curves around a big courtyard that can host outdoor assemblies. There is a storage space between each classroom, accessible from outside, and each class has an access to a private terrace/pergola on the back.
The Kindergarten
The four kindergarten classrooms, designed by architects based in Nairobi, are the latest buildings completed in 2011.
The organic garden
Behind the classrooms is a huge organic vegetable garden with well arranged rows of a great varieties of vegetables, fruits trees, probiotic plants as well as animal feeds. Francis proudly shows me around and explains me the rotation methods, the usefulness and complementarity of each plants in a very structured way. It is to say that, on top of being son of a farmer, he has been trained by three German girls specialists in organic farming and still sends them regular updates and reports for feedbacks. Adjacent to this garden is the compost preparation area, the pile where to dumb the kitchen´s organic trash being indicated with a sign. Francis has many tricks to prepare a powerful natural compost, no chemicals being used here. When the season is good, this garden provides for all the children and only a few complementary things such as rice is needed to buy. There is even a smaller garden where the children learn and experiment themselves.
Saturday 16th of June
Judith gave me access to a folder containing diverse plans and sketches of the many buildings, which allows me to have a more technical insight.
In the afternoon I walked to Kitengela glass, a friendly green oasis and a whole universe of arts and mosaics in a peculiar Gaudi style. That is where Juliet (head teacher of The Humane School in Kitale) used to work and live. She shows me around and promised that they would open some of the crazily designed guest houses for me if I come back the day after. I share with Juliet my plan to stay in Nairobi until Tuesday morning in order to witness one day of the school full of all the 300 children who will be back from holidays on Monday. On my way back, a short walk through the bush allows me to spot a herd of zebras (pretty!), different kinds of antelopes (lovely), a few wild pigs (kind of cute) and... a couple of buffaloes (let's not hang out here!!!)
Monday 18th of June
The children are back!