Johannesburg-based Architects of Justice were commissioned to design the library, but after the project ran out of money, the design team had to go back to the drawing board and come up with a solution that engages with the kids and offers a high-quality space for learning. The SEED Library is meant to act as a prototype that can be reproduced on other sites and under similarly constrained financial situations.
The building is made from shipping containers positioned perpendicular to each other, while a pushed out internal area adds more space to the interior. The upper container, painted in green and grey, is for reading and has study rooms as well as outdoor reading spaces. Ceilings are trimmed with low energy LED strip lighting.
Last year the project won a silver at the Loeries, a Gauteng Institute for Architects Merit Award, and was shortlisted for the Corobrick South African Institute of Architects awards of merit and for excellence. It was designed as a semi-permanent solution that could be a model for similar design requirements.
