June 8, 2015 The riverine community of Makoko in Lagos has been a source of concern to authorities regarding health and safety for a long time. Attention has been strongly focused on the community, with lots of plans to demolish the floating wooden houses that are home for so many members of the community. A floating school, the main source of education for the people of the area also came under consideration two years ago, with government deliberating on whether to demolish it or let it be. However it seems that authorities might be having a change of heart and want to consider the structure in the development plan for the waterfront community.
This will no doubt come as a huge relief to the community, the builders of the school and the world at large. The Makoko floating school is a 3 storey building constructed in a partnership by the residents of the area, the Local Council Development body in the area, United Nation Development Programme, with AAP and NLE Works, Nigeria.
It was nominated for the Design of the Year 2014, at a competition overseen by London’s Design Museum where it competed with 14 other structures selected across the world.