Situated in a rural town of South Africa, the Sutherland Training centre aims to address the pressing need to develop artisan skills within the community. The complex provides a range of facilities, that cater for learning, practice and show casing peoples work.
The complex’s design is carefully considered to its situation within the urban context aiming to become a daily part of life within the town for all residents. The design is aligned to the various activities that take place in the precinct in order to foster engagement by both visitors and active users. Programmatically public and private spaces have informed its composition, from the public market square to the theoretical teaching labs and practical workshops.
The design draws on regional architecture precedent to create an intervention that resonates with the character of the area. Stone and brickwork with steel doors and windows are the dominant material elements. Differences in flooring material orientate users and linked to the differing types of uses in the precinct.
