SIDAREC has hardcore

Hardcore (i.e. structural fill) in place. Looking from rear of site toward street.

Hardcore in place at Early Childhood Development/Large Meeting wing.

Beginning the placement of the hardcore.

Site wall nearing completion.

Site wall nearing completion.

Foundation wall repair in progress.

Backfill nearing completion.

Backfill nearing completion. Looking toward rear of site from site entry.

SIDAREC Getting Ever Closer to Rising from the Ground

Backfilling for Computer Lab, Toilet block and covered walkway underway.

View from site entrance with structural fill nearing completion.

Early Childhood Development area backfilled with structural fill.

Columns and perimeter site wall getting a final finish.

Roots & Wings Technology Learning Center Breaks Ground

Roots & Wings International broke ground on their new computer technology learning center in Pasac, Guatemala in mid-April. Congratulations RWI!

Clearing the site.

Clearing the site.

Clearing the site.

Site excavation in progress.

Site excavation in progress.

Site excavation in progress.

Site excavation in progress.

Site excavation in progress.

Layout of building foundation.

Layout of building foundation.

Rendering of technology center by The Global Studio

Rendering of technology center by The Global Studio

SIDAREC Foundation Walls Nearly Complete

Construction workers placing rock for foundation walls at cybercafe and main entry.

Foundation walls for computer training main wing complete.

Foundation walls for Early Childhood development wing nearly complete. View from soccer field.

Foundation walls for Early Childhood development wing nearly complete. View from cyber cafe area.

View of main building wing from near street.

SIDAREC Building Strong Foundation

Site overview from large pile of excavated soil. Early Childhood Development center in foreground.

Below grade foundation walls under construction.

Below grade foundation walls and footings under construction.

Below grade foundation walls and footings under construction.

Site in rain storm.

Building footing formwork after the rain storm.

SIDAREC's Foundation Formwork in Progress

Formwork for the building foundation in progress. Looking along service alley toward road.

Formwork for the building foundation in progress. Looking from future ECD to rear of site.

Formwork for the building foundation in progress. Looking along service alley toward rear of site.

Site perimeter wall nearly complete djacent to existing health clinic.

From the Archives....Animation of SIDAREC Winning Competition Entry

SIDAREC Mukuru Youth Technology & Media Lab Winning Competition Entry from The Global Studio on Vimeo.
The animation showcases the original 2007 AMD Open Architecture Challenge competition entry for SIDAREC's (Slums Information Development and Resources Centers) new technology and media resource center for the youth of Mukuru Kwa Njenga, a slum east of Nairobi, Kenya. For more information on the project's progess visit the project page on the Open Architecture Network.

SIDAREC's Mass Excavation of Poor Soil Complete

Construction Site from Access Road

Note the "black cotton soil" layer at the back of the site along the block wall. Black cotton soil is highly expansive and very poor for building foundations and slabs, which is why it all had to be removed.

Excavation Complete for Early Childhood Development Wing

Excavation Complete for Main Building

Building Excavation Complete Looking West toward Rear of Site

Building Excavation Looking East toward Street

Leveling of Foundation Base

Laying out of Foundation Base

SIDAREC Youth Technology and Media Lab Animation

SIDAREC Mukuru Youth Technology & Media Lab Schematic Design Animation from The Global Studio on Vimeo.
The video showcases the revised schematic design for the Slums Information Development & Resource Centre (SIDAREC) Technology Hub. The hub is a sustainable, technology focused community resource center in Mukuru Kwa Njenga, an informal settlement east of Nairobi, Kenya. The SIDAREC organization believes positive development occurs by realizing the concept, "Community problems need community solutions." SIDAREC strives to empower the youth in Mukuru to generate community solutions and positive change by utilizing education and technology to harness the untapped potential the youth inherently have. SIDAREC's ultimate goal is to enable the community's youth to raise their standards of living and improve their community.

Perimeter Site Wall and Building Excavations Underway

New temporary Early Childhood Development (ECD) building constructed as interim facility during construction.

Children in class in temporary ECD.

Foundation excavations underway for new permanent Early Childhood Development center.

Foundation and column reinforcement.

Perimeter security wall under construction.

Massive excavation underway for new SIDAREC youth technology and media center.