Makoko is a slum neighborhood in between the 3rd Mainland Bridge and the coast of
mainland Lagos Nigeria. Makoko is also home to the Makoko Floating School. The school
has received global recognition for its unique design and on 20 April 2015, the Lagos State
Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development announced that the school may be
incorporated into a regeneration plan for the entire Makoko community. Makoko is
referred to as the “Venice of Africa”.
Education is important to every child and before the construction of Makoko Floating
School, children didn’t have adequate primary school facilities. The flood was also a threat
to the kids and this would mean that they are unable to attend school as they wait for the
floods to end.
It is at this point that a Nigerian Architect Kunlé Adeyemi came up with the idea of
developing a floating island. He developed a prototype and with assistance from various
NGOs he was able to complete the project. The construction for Makoko Floating School
started in 2012 and it was completed in 2013.
The design of Makoko Floating School looks similar to a triangular A-frame. All the
classrooms of the school are located on the second tier of it. These classrooms are
partially enclosed with the help of louvered slats
What is interesting about Makoko Floating School is how it floats on top of the water. This
is a complex structure. It is constructed on top of a set of plastic barrels. It clearly shows
how available materials in the local neighborhood have been utilized to get the best
possible results. These barrels in the base of Makoko Floating School are also being used to
store excess rainwater collected from the rainwater collecting system.
With the successful completion of Makoko Floating School, it is important to better
understand how to develop sustainable structures. In this case, it can help people combat
the negative impacts of global warming and any climatic crisis that may happen in the
future.