In Canada, building a school costs tens of millions of dollars. As post-COVID inflation has raised the price of labour and materials by as much as 20 per cent, now more than ever, architects need to learn how to do more with less. In Stellenbosch, 50 kilometres from Cape Town, a new school expansion offers a case study in maximizing value from minimal resources. The 850-square-metre addition to Calling Academy Stellenbosch, run by Calling Education, a non-profit working to provide top-tier private education to low-income learners, was completed for just under $215,000.
The designers, Cape Town firm SALT Architects, utilized two key strategies to keep costs down. To save on materials, they leveraged efficient space planning to keep the footprint as minimal as possible. The rooms — which include a lab, a classroom, admin areas, a staff room and a counselling room — are lined with terraces that increase the amount of usable space without the added expense of walls (of course, this is only practical due to South Africa’s temperate climate). These outdoor spaces offer a moment of pause, enhancing the learning environment with the site’s natural beauty.
The architects also sought to create flexible spaces that could accommodate multiple functions. A flexible divider between the staff room and classroom, for instance, can be folded back to open up the space into an event venue that seats 150 people. Not only does this create a gathering space for the school, but it can also generate income from larger community events, allowing additional funds to be streamed into the educational program. Because of its position between the original school and the football field, the new pavilion-like addition also serves as an assembly space.
SALT piggybacked on the cost savings of the compact design with their clever use of construction materials. Some of the supplies were even recycled and repurposed from other nearby building sites, and all the bathroom furniture was donated from an office renovation. Not only was this cost-effective but also more sustainable than buying new materials. Where they couldn’t find them used, they turned to locally manufactured and affordable options: the project was primarily constructed using concrete block, floors and roof tiles, with a pine roof structure.
But the pared-back palette didn’t come at the expense of beauty. Throughout, the architects have harnessed these simple materials to create special moments. Case in point: the eastern façade’s screen of concrete blocks, which elegantly filters light into the indoor-outdoor forecourt. Two openings in the envelope lead into the welcoming space, which connects visitors, teachers and learners.
Inside, the architects maintain visual continuity with the exterior with the use of budget-friendly OSB ceiling panels (which also help to optimize acoustics). Along with the folding glass doors along the exterior, polycarbonate ceiling tiles were used to create skylights that allow natural light into the core of the building.
By constructing its addition on a limited budget, Calling Academy Stellenbosch can focus its funding where it can make a real difference — providing high-quality education to more students than ever before, and in turn, opportunities for its community. In doing so, SALT Architects have demonstrated that design excellence doesn’t have to come at a high price and that, with a bit of ingenuity, it’s achievable no matter how scarce the resources.
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