Empowerment Squared

Liberian Learning Centre

Opportunity

Leo Nupolu Johnson, former refugee from Liberia, had an aspirational vision to build a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose educational and community facility in the former war-torn country. The passion project represented the opportunity to transform and empower its community with skills-based programming in an area of the world with the lowest literacy rates.

Response

The building form is intentionally sculpted by the sun, wind and rain. The sloped roof forms a large, south-facing armature which harvests solar energy and rainwater. Passive system solutions reduce energy usage and build inherent resilience to unreliable power, sanitary and clean water infrastructures. It is important the Liberian Learning Center has an enduring connection to its community, with opportunity for the use of local labour and materials, not only in the construction but throughout the building’s life. Therefore, the project’s construction became a training ground for locally sourced craftsmen.

Video Credit: Empowerment Squared