Photograph of the new extension as you approach the school grounds
The Naweni District School is located on Vanua Levu, the second largest land mass in Fiji. Serving a number of local villages and settlements, the school welcomes over 200 students and 8 teachers. It serves children from age 4 - 17 and includes a dedicated kindergarten and pre-school. The frst Naweni Kindergarten building was built by CAUKIN in 2017.
CAUKIN Studio conducted a post-occupancy survey at the Naweni Kindergarten to establish successes, points for improvement and the overall impact that the building was having on the school and the children who attend it. They found that the number of children attending the kindergarten had risen from 8 to 30 as a result of the new building.
In response, CAUKIN decided to build an adjacent building, to expand the kindergarten’s capacity. In conversation with the teachers and based on their previous experiences, CAUKIN was able to set out design aims that were precisely tailored to the current and future needs of the young school children and staff.
The design takes from the local vernacular and uses traditional construction techniques, materials and building methods in an innovative way. The well-ventilated and cyclone-resistant building naturally integrates itself into the surrounding environment.
Photograph of the new extension (left) next to the old school (right)
Connections between the old and the new building
Front Balcony
Entrance
Back Balcony
Tree structure covered playground
