United Kingdom-based multi-faceted property and infrastructure projects consultancy firm, Capita Symonds, has begun the construction of nine modular designed vocational colleges around the six geopolitical zones in the country.

The Guardian learnt through Capita Symonds’ web portal that the project consists of developing nine Capita Symonds designed modular buildings in Nigerian schools. The Skills Training Vocational Education Project (STVEP) supports the Federal Government of Nigeria’s poverty reduction initiative which seeks to expand access to basic non-formal vocational skills education. In particular, the project will encourage more women, as well as disadvantaged marginalised groups, to access STVE opportunities and will also contribute to the government’s bid to achieve UN Millennium Development Goals.

Located in the six geopolitical zones of the country, the projects  are to be sited at Federal Science Training College (FSTC), Ikare, FSTC Lassa, FSTC Ohanso, FSTC Orozo, FSTC (girls) Ilyo, FCE (Tech) Akoka, Yaba, Faculty of Education Akoka Nsukka Nomadic VTC KM26 Kaduna, and Nomadic VTC Ladugga Kachia.

Capita Symonds representative, Andrew Pryke, during a visit to Nigeria said the objective to embark on the project was aimed at maximising the potential for cross ventilation for all buildings and ensure the comfort conditions within the buildings are maintained in all seasons by the introduction of an insulated ceiling compressed to align with the roof geometry.

He revealed that completion of the environmental study informed the architectural design approach, adding, “The key objectives were: Simple plan form, Simple and repetitive construction providing cost effective solutions, Modular buildings that would sit comfortably and be in context with the existing facilities, Material selection easily available in Nigeria Quality of materials to be robust requiring low maintenance.”

Pryke said: “The key thing about the project is that it is highly sustainable. The walling is made of compressed stabilised soil blocks manufactured on site using a mix consisting of 8 per cent cement and 92 per cent compacted laterite, almost like rammed earth. The majority of construction is to be done by semiskilled labour. It’s getting people employed and trained on the job.”

In particular, the project will encourage more women, as well as disadvantaged marginalised groups, to access STVE opportunities and will also contribute to the government’s bid to achieve UN Millennium Development Goals.

Capita Symonds design team - consisting of Armando Figueiredo, David Russell and Hadi Majid last week visited existing colleges in Nigeria, researching the environment and local construction methods as well as the availability of local materials, before embarking on the development of a sustainable design concept.

Local professionals collaborated with Capita Symonds (which uses the Capita Norman + Dawbarn name in Nigeria) throughout the pre-contract stages and the same professionals are now continuing with contract administration and construction supervision services.

The project according to Capita Symonds supports the Federal Government of Nigeria’s poverty reduction initiative, which seeks to expand access to basic non-formal vocational skills education.

The brief required every campus above to be expanded to increase the intake of students on average to between 1200–1500 residential students except for the two rural VTCs which would be expanded to 300 day students. All teaching buildings have been designed as flexible units that can be adapted to multipurpose use and can fit into any of the existing campuses either as infill development or new teaching complexes linking into the existing teaching facilities.

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Source: The Guardian