Texas IMPACT Design is collaborating with partners in the Busia District of eastern Uganda  to design and build a school that will transform their lives through education. More than just a building to accommodate the basic education needs, the school will actively promote discovery, self-sufficiency and strong community relationships through architecture that invites everyone in the village to engage in active learning. Classrooms double as public spaces for community classes, civic events, and performances. Outdoor learning gardens will teach sustainable agriculture and nutritional practices, providing opportunities for collaborative interaction extending beyond the classroom walls. Community input drives the design process, ensuring a school that is deeply embedded in the local culture and continued growth of the District of Busia.

The school’s architecture will respond directly to its site, using natural ventilation and daylighting to make classrooms that facilitate active learning. Building assemblies will employ local materials and be designed for inexpensive construction and upkeep. Construction methods will be easy to teach and replicate, empowering villagers to construct most of the school themselves with minimal guidance from the design team. 

Within the classrooms, modular building components will enable teachers to personalize their spaces and offer flexible storage. Classrooms will be organized around gathering spaces of various scales, maximizing flexibility and creating safe outdoor spaces for learning, play, and community events. Phasing plans will allow the school to grow over time as it adapts to the areas future needs. A secure, welcoming entry will invite the community into a learning environment where the building is designed to teach in partnership with the teachers within.

The school will welcome its neighbors into a community of inquisitive learners. Its facilities will promote engaged, distraction-free learning for all children – including girls, women, and orphans, who are often overlooked in Uganda’s educational efforts. As an anchor to the community, the primary school will invite inclusive ownership amongst the area's residents and provide a model of experiential community education for other villages and towns.