The Co-School____Hiddi & Dillu - Ethiopia
The Co-School_Hiddi & Dillu - Ethiopia
Location: Hiddi and Dillu - Ethiopia
Client: Competition Entry
Program: Pre-school project
Size: 3000 sqm
Year: 2020The Co-School:
Learning by Doing
A preschool concept designed to empower children (ages 3–5) through active, hands-on learning that nurtures curiosity and creativity.
Instead of traditional classroom rigidity, The Co-School invites children into an environment where play, exploration, and experience shape their understanding of the world. It reimagines early education as a dynamic system that respects the child’s natural instincts to move, touch, build, and observe. Learning becomes a lived experience — not a passive intake — and the school becomes a co-creator in a child's developmental journey.
A modular architectural system that allows easy construction
The Co-School is built on a modular architectural system that allows easy construction and future expansion. Each component is a singular unit designed to function independently or combine with others, enabling the school to grow organically over time.
This approach makes it possible to start small
This approach makes it possible to start small — with a few classrooms or open-air learning spaces — and gradually add more units such as shaded outdoor areas, gathering spaces, or new activity zones. The design ensures that each phase of growth integrates seamlessly, both structurally and programmatically.
Construction is based on sustainable techniques using natural, locally sourced materials like rammed earth, wooden frames, and corrugated metal — allowing for durability, affordability, and ecological sensitivity.
“Designed as a learning landscape, where spaces are not fixed to one function but evolve based on activity”
Multi-functional environments that adapt to different teaching modes
The Co-School is designed as a learning landscape, where spaces are not fixed to one function but evolve based on activity, time of day, or group size. Classrooms open up into outdoor courtyards, arcades become gathering zones, and stairs transform into stages or play areas. This spatial flexibility invites children to move fluidly between different modes of learning — quiet individual focus, collaborative group work, active play, and contemplative observation.
“This spatial flexibility invites children to move fluidly between different modes of learning — quiet individual focus, collaborative group work and active play”
Strategic openings enhance ventilation, while minimal exterior openings
A classroom in the morning can host a nature talk or gathering in the afternoon. Small nooks offer comfort for solo reading, while larger open zones support collective celebrations or creative workshops. The result is a school environment that mirrors the way children think and grow: open-ended, playful, responsive, and full of possibility.
“Rather than confining learning to rigid interiors, the architecture embraces openness and adaptability.”
Pattern-Based Educational Design
A set of spatial patterns structured around key learning principles:
Individual & Collective: Diverse group settings
Scale & Wonder: Adventure through architectural scale
Protection & Freedom: Boundaries that connect, not isolate
Light & Dark: Contrast between introspective and social spaces
Indoor & Outdoor: Seamless integration with nature
Adaptive & Sustainable Construction
A modular system that grows with the school’s needs, built with natural, locally sourced materials such as rammed earth, wood, and metal for durability and affordability.