Redhill School’s Early Learning Centre (ELC) pushes the boundaries of traditional school design, with remarkable results. 

The Media in Africa team has walked a long road with this project.  

It started when Asher Marcus, founder and lead designer of HUBO Studio, shared the project at the Johannesburg DAS event in early 2024. This was followed up with a site visit during construction and finally attending the VIP opening of the school. 

Read on for an in-depth exploration of this remarkable project. 

Natural slate flooring and cladding lead the way into the main piazza of the Redhill Early Learning Centre.

A passion for schools 

The team at HUBO is passionate about designing schools, often referring to themselves as educators after spending so much time in educational settings.

Their design philosophy is that classrooms need to evolve and transform into a network of spaces, rather than a row of under-utilised boxes. 

The flooring in each atelier’s classrooms features different colours to enhance wayfinding.

“When Redhill School approached us to design a pre-school inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, we were very excited. Our goal was to create a learning environment that nurtures children’s natural curiosity and interests,” says Marcus. 

Melding methodology and architecture 

To truly grasp the essence of Reggio Emilia, Marcus embarked on a journey to Italy, where it all began. Through immersion into the Reggio Emilia methodologies and then merging them with the studio’s architectural expertise, a new vision was created. 

The Reggio Emilia philosophy is child-centric, treating them like little researchers and active participants in the learning process. Taking this focus to heart, HUBO conducted workshops with the children and teachers in the early stages of the project. 

Mosaics adorn the walls of the piazza, adding another element of fun, colour and texture.

Much of the inspiration for the ELC was taken from this information gathering, to develop a space that felt familiar. Marcus says: “The right inspiration makes a beautiful project.” 

Design process 

Process-driven thinking is the HUBO way. Throughout the design process, HUBO focussed on integrating key elements that make Reggio Emilia special.  

From spatial planning to connections and details, the aim was to create a space where the school itself becomes a guiding teacher. 

The building is emotion-driven. “Within a harsh cityscape, the school is a cocooning space. Sunk into the surroundings, it feels like a hug,” Marcus explains.  

Service areas and bathrooms are tiled in the atelier’s respective colours and terrazzo patterns to define the spaces.

“We designed ateliers, a vibrant piazza and embedded classrooms within a park, taking inspiration from the local South African context.” 

Visual language 

Each atelier is identified by a specific colour. This is used in all the elements, as a visual language and wayfinding between the different spaces. The flooring, door handles, concrete facade, interior walls, chairs and other finishes reflect the colour of the specific atelier. 

Similarly, the shapes of the windows are different for each atelier and form part of the visual language that aids in place-finding. 

Playing and learning 

With no corridors between different areas, the feeling of the school is more homely and interconnected. The ateliers branch out from the piazza, with multiple ways to move between the spaces. 

The curved shapes of the overall design are replicated in the linoleum flooring of the school’s mixed-use hall.

At 2 500m² undercover, the number of classrooms is limited and of a smaller size, encouraging exploration beyond this home base. It’s a simple intervention for better discovery of new things. 

The concept is that what is found outdoors, is then brought inside for closer study and learning. By keeping the imagery and design non-specific, using more conceptual than exact shapes, the imagination is sparked. 

Appealing to the senses 

The senses are engaged through the use of different colours and natural textures throughout. Windows offer moments for discovery, looking out to the playground, into other classrooms or the kitchen. 

Different levels within the ateliers are linked by stairs, small auditorium-styled spaces and slides – sparking fun as the children navigate their way through the school. Everything is multi-purpose and multi-functional. 

Linoleum flooring provides an antibacterial, anti-allergic and antistatic solution that is also sound-absorbent.

In the midst of this joyous, colourful and stimulating space, there are also dimmer, quieter and calm areas where the children can escape to when needed. 

Materiality 

Natural slate covers the piazza floor and exterior zones, while bathrooms and service zones are tiled in the respective atelier’s colour palette. 

A warm bamboo floor covering was installed on the stairs, small auditorium-styled spaces and slides that link the different levels within the ateliers, while a textured bamboo wall protects the walls in the mixed-use hall.  

The solid bamboo panels for the flooring, stairs and auditorium steps and the Flexbamboo® wall covering was supplied by Moso Africa, the sub-Saharan subsidiary of European bamboo masters Moso International. The inclusion of these natural and anti-allergic bamboo elements not only contributes to a healthy interior environment, but also fits with the homely, emotion-driven vision and aligned well with the architect’s desire to bring more natural materials indoors. 

Bamboo flooring adds a different texture and warmth to the open auditoriums, stairs and slides.

For more details about MOSO Africa’s bamboo flooring, click here

Floors International SA (FISA), supplied Tarkett’s Lino collection, for the classrooms and the hall. Often confused with vinyl flooring, linoleum is a bio-based product made from natural and renewable ingredients. It is sustainably produced and 100% degradable.  

This antibacterial, anti-allergic and antistatic material is therefore perfect for a school, where children often sit on the floor. The high-performance flooring solution also meets acoustic, conductive, and static dissipative needs. 

Texture and colour 

Large mosaics cover the walls within the piazza, crafted by award-winning artist, Usha Seejarim. 

The distinctive facade of the building, resembles corrugated iron, but it is actually a masterpiece of artisanal skill. Using a special design trowel, this patterns were hand-trowelled into 1 000m² of concrete. “This was originally a cost-saving experiment, which became an iconic element of the school,” says Michelle Smith, professional architect at HUBO. 

In addition to the trowelled concrete, the facade also features sections with the hand-packed texture of traditional rondavels. 

Pushing boundaries 

The elements within the ELC are all focussed on the children and their experience. The handrails are set at two different heights for growing children, and the stair risers change height between the different levels. “It is a space for growing and change,” says Marcus. 

The result is a pre-school that embodies the spirit of Reggio Emilia, offering a unique and enriching educational experience for the children at Redhill School. 

Thanks and acknowledgement to https://www.hubostudio.com/, https://www.moso-bamboo.com/ (Moso Africa, Mastering Bamboo) and www.fisa.co.za (Floors International SA) for the information in this article.