Ugandan infrastructure project wins Architizer award

Amsterdam, The Netherlands | National Teachers College infrastructure project has emerged the winner of the public choice award in the category Architecture For Good at this year’s Architizer A+ Awards.

The project jointly implemented by Enabel, Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports, Oubuntu Consulting, and DASUDA en bkvv architects renovated and expanded National Teachers’ College Mubende and Kaliro located in central and eastern Uganda respectively.

It renovated 24 buildings and constructed 8 new facilities. These included; student and staff accommodation, classrooms, energy-efficient kitchens, and sports grounds. Others are; the installation of solar lights and waste management systems. Enabel Country Representative Tom Vanneste said the initiative ensured the creation of a safer and more conducive learning environment for over 2000 learners and their teachers.

“Our infrastructure projects stand out because construction is guided by the principles of climate-responsive design. To ensure ownership and sustainability, community involvement is sought throughout the project cycle.” Vanneste said.

He added the project approach is the first of its kind in the country and hence a reference point for infrastructure development in the East African region.

The project is part of a 7-year Belgium-funded programme aimed at improving the quality of lower secondary school teachers graduating from Uganda’s 5 National Teachers’ Colleges including Mubende and Kaliro.

The Architizer A+ Awards celebrate the extraordinary work of the world’s best firms, highlighting the work of pioneering architects and designers as they strive to create architecture that will stand the test of time. 5000 entries were received for this year’s awards from more than 100 countries. Out of these, judges nominated five finalists per category. The Public Choice Winners were awarded in several categories, with over 400,000 votes cast by the voting public. The National Teachers College infrastructure project will feature in the next edition of “The World’s Best Architecture” published annually by the Monacelli Press.