patricia erimescu designs + builds children’s library with local tanzanian community

the ‘njoro children’s library’ is located in mailisita, on the lower slopes of mount kilimanjaro. the area is situated in isolation and the njoro primary school and new library must function efficiently without the use of grid energy. the project was started by patricia erimescu in collaboration with the local NGO excel education foundation to complete educational facilities in tanzania integrating the community by being a participative project built by locals and volunteers.

view of the library from the garden 
all images © patricia erimescu

serving 408 kids of njoro primary school and also the pupils from three schools in the surrounding area, the library is important in terms of giving the pupils access to books and reading in a region in which most have no books at home. the architecture borrowed extensively from local tanzanian culture and involved its users in the process to ensure it met their specific needs.  materials and construction methods familiar to local builders help the structures fit into their context and respond to the prevailing climate.

children’s library with the mount kilimanjaro ion the background  

the plan of the library – with a hidden entrance references the traditional masai house, an ethnic group in the area. the entrance is situated on the side of the playground, but in the direction of the main pathway, making space for the ramp. different kinds of blocks, such as earth compressed ones made by volunteers, recycled concrete blocks and burned clay bricks were used to build the library. the earth block pressing machine is mobile, so the blocks could be made on the construction site and joined by mortar. about 5-7% cement was added to the blocks to make them waterproof. the foundation is made of stones and poured concrete. the walls are then coated in a locally made earth plaster that seals the envelope and further insulates the structure. the mixture of earth finishes helps the building engage with its surroundings.

the brick wall, the vents, and the shady trees contribute to a comfortable inside climate

as the temperature easily reaches high levels, a comfortable inside climate is essential. the brick wall, the vents, and the shady trees contribute to a comfortable inside climate. the location was carefully chosen together with the locals. large shady trees whose roots do not strain foundation are planted along E and W walls to provide shade. the roof is constructed in such a way as to provide cross ventilation and at the same time keep sun and rain out, for this a wooden frame system and locally available corrugated metal roofs were used. the roof allows the circulation of hot air, and cross ventilation to contribute to a comfortable inside climate.

the opacity of the wall is related to the movement of the viewer

the goal of this project is not only to create a well functioning building but to generate a place that offers students and local people an opportunity to learn about construction work. the building process itself plays an important role in the sustainable development of building locally and traditional building techniques. the locals and craftsmen work closely together with volunteers to involve them in the early stages of the building process. besides this, the involvement of the whole community in the project is important, not only because building together is part of the local tradition, also to create a communal responsibility for the maintenance of the library. 

the building process itself plays an important role in the sustainable development of building locally

interior with the shelves made from recycled wood  

pupils helping with the construction

detail of the brick wall 

shelves are made from recycled wood used in the construction and old barrels 

plan

section sketch

project info:

project name: njoro children’s library
design: patricia erimescu
local coordinator: james kirima
local support: excel education foundation
volunteers: anatol struna, ovidiu chifor, calin bodnar, laura terzi, radu cotenescu, sarah krausslach, razvan onu, ovidiu chifor, beatriz santiago, simon bowden, pete steele
location: mailisita, kilimanjaro region, tanzania
building status: in use
category: education
costs: 5 400 usd

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: juliana neira | designboom