AFRICAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
AFRICAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY
The African Leadership Academy (ALA) – a non-profit organisation that aims to identify, develop and connect Africa’s future leaders – sought to convert a refurbished industrial building into a transformative learning environment. Each year, ALA hosts 260 students aged 16 to 19 from over 40 African countries for an intensive leadership program. Working closely with the base build architects, the design team created a welcoming, inclusive environment that would enhance the learning experience. The interiors include a variety of teaching, learning and social spaces such as classrooms, reading rooms, a library and a build lab. Interactive classrooms encourage participation while quiet spaces offer students space to focus and recharge. The interiors fuse existing and new finishes drawing on diverse African design influences to create a sense of inclusivity. Furniture, upholstery, pendants, decals and murals and even patterned Marmoleum floor finishes were inspired by graphic traditions from across the continent. The colour palette selected for each space was informed by sophisticated colour theory, with hues carefully selected to stimulate creativity, enhance concentration, create calm, inject energy or enhance communication as needed. Furniture was carefully selected to be mobile, light and easy to reconfigure. Exhibition spaces display student work, fostering a sense of pride and belonging.
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Size: 2,500 m2
Completed: 2017
Sector: Educational