French School Cape Town
FRENCH SCHOOL CAPE TOWN
Kritzinger Architects
ARCHITECTS
Kritzinger Architects
LOCATION
Kings Rd, Sea Point, Cape Town, 8060, South Africa
QUANTITY SURVEYOR
Shevel & Simpson Quantity Surveyors
AREA
2650.0 sqm
PROJECT YEAR
2014
CATEGORY
Schools
PHOTOGRAPHS
Adam Letch
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER
Clive Newsome
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
Ifindo Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd
HEALTH & SAFETY
Safetycon cc
LANDSCAPIING
Room to Grow
MAIN CONTRACTOR
Status Africa Construction cc
TIMBER SUN SCREEN
Swissline
CONCRETE WORKS
Lafarge
SLIDING DOORS
G&E Glass & Aluminium
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
LH Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd
VINYAL FLOORING
Folyflor
LIGHTING
K-Light, Spazio
FURNITURE
Cecil Nurse, Eco Furniture, Hedcor, Sit-SA, Fat Sack
Text description provided by architect.
Kritzinger Architects won the bid to transform the former Tafelberg Primary School in Sea Point as part of the Western Cape Government’s Provincial Regeneration programme.
The property is owned by the Western Cape Government and leased to the French School. Construction started in January 2014 and was completed in August 2014.
The brief called for a low-cost refurbishment of existing facilities as well as additional space for a new cafeteria and library to cater for the rapidly expanding primary and pre-primary classes.
With a construction budget of R13,4 Million, the professional team were tasked to provide a low-cost high-value design proposition which conformed to French school design standards.
The design concept was to preserve the splendour of the existing 1930’s school building, while at the same time creating a new identity for the French School through the addition of a new library and cafeteria building, landscaping and sports fields.
The existing school building was re-planned to include additional classrooms and the courtyard opened up to the elements to allow natural light, views and cross ventilation to all classrooms.
The existing toilet block located in the centre of the courtyard was demolished and a new toilet block created in the main building. Internal circulation around the courtyard is architecturally defined by a coloured floor strip and colourful pendant lights overhead.
The existing hall was refurbished with a new 2-story Cafeteria & Library building introduced as a set piece to create a new identity for the school.
The new building was designed as a contemporary addition to the campus and is strategically placed next to the existing hall to offer flexibility of use and ease of flow between the hall, cafeteria and sports field at ground level.
The structure comprises a simple concrete frame and lean-to roof with a wrap-around timber screen at first floor level which provides solar control to the library whilst still offering views out of the building.
Low-cost materials such as Oriented Strand Board, SA pine and plywood were selected to compliment the off-shutter concrete and provide a homogeneous language of materials throughout the school.
Landscaping was introduced to create a strong pedestrian axis between the two street entrances and buildings around it. The existing upper and lower sports field was refurbished to create a new green astroturf sports field. Staff parking was designed at the lower end of the site with easy access directly off Tramway Road.
In 2015 the French School was shortlisted for the Cape Institute for Architects Award and was awarded the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa Eco-School label for sustainable design.
