Makoko Floating School

Prior to the commencement of the project, the children of Makoko only had access to one primary school which was inadequate, built on reclaimed land, and frequently threatened by recurrent flooding.

In 2013, a Nigerian architect, Kunlé Adeyemi of NLÉ proposed to transform the water slum status of the Makoko waterfront community to a floating island by creating a functional building prototype.

[1][2][3][4] The Makoko floating school comprised alternative sustainable buildings and structures designed to adapt to the resident communities' aquatic lifestyle.

The floating school utilized local materials such as bamboo, timber and resources to produce architecture that applied to the physical, social needs of people and reflects the culture of the community.

[14] It was awarded the Silver Lion prize, recognized as a “powerful demonstration, be it in Lagos in Venice, that architecture, at once iconic and pragmatic, can amplify the importance of education”.