THIS PROJECT ORIGINATED AS A DESIGN COMPETITION WON BY MRA IN 2002.
LOCATED IN HENLEY-ON-KLIP SOUTH OF JOHANNESBURG THE ACADEMY IS PLANNED AROUND TWO ‘STREETS’ ORIGINATING FROM A CENTRAL GATHERING SPACE. THIS ‘QUAD’ IS FLANKED ON EACH SIDE BY THE MAJOR BUILDINGS OF THE ACADEMY – THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, THE THEATRE, THE LIBRARY AND THE DINING HALL.
THE ‘STREET OF LEARNING’ EXTENDS FROM THE LIBRARY TO THE NORTH AND SITUATED EITHER SIDE ARE THE CLASSROOM AND LABORATORY BLOCKS.
THE ‘STREET OF LIVING’ EXTENDS FROM THE DINING HALL TO THE EAST AND SITUATED EITHER SIDE ARE THE SENIOR AND JUNIOR DORMITORY BLOCKS.
LOCATED TO THE WEST OF THE THEATRE AND ADJACENT TO THE SPORTS FIELD ARE THE GYMNASIUM AND THE WELLNESS CENTRE.
LARGE AREAS OF LANDSCAPING EXTEND OUT TO THE NORTH OF THE DINING HALL AND THEATRE
THE STRAW COLOURED FACE BRICK WITH SUBTLE RECESSED PATTERNING, NATURAL STONE AND THE CONSIDERED USE OF CURVED SHAPES CREATES A GENTLE, UNDERSTATED ARCHITECTURE THAT BLENDS WITH THE STARK HIGHVELD LANDSCAPE IN WINTER AND THE GREEN OF SUMMER.
THE ACADEMY WAS OPENED BY MS. OPRAH WINFREY IN JANUARY 2007.
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