“Making the Difference Through Design”
Located in rolling hills of Durbanville wine valley on the outskirts of Cape Town, Vissershok Primary School is a rural school dedicated to the children of farm workers and underprivileged communities living in Du Noon – a poverty-stricken township several kilometers away. Sponsored by three South African companies – Woolworths, Safmarine and AfriSam – the Vissershok Container Classroom is a 12 meter recycled container that was converted into an independent classroom for 25 Grade R (age 5-6) students.
It all started with an annual design competition called “Making the Difference Through Design”, presented by Woolworths. The competition focuses on introducing design to local high school students. This year, the brief called for creative solutions on how a recycled container can be adapted to help under-resourced schools.
Grade 10 student (age 15) Marshaarn Brink won the competition with a playful design of an outdoor jungle gym. The concept was then handed over to Tsai Design Studio who then evolved the idea into a final design that took in consideration the site conditions and environmental factors. Built with limited means and budget, the final product maximized the space as it incorporated the four following elements.
