Earthquake resistant mountain schools

* Disclaimer
The Circular Design Atlas is an online open source database intended for educational purposes on a non-profit basis. It accommodates a series of case studies researched and analysed by students across the material, component, building, as well as the neighbourhood, city and regional scale. We have tried to be careful with third-party rights, such as intellectual property rights, on visual material we have cited in order to make these case studies possible. In the unexpected event of incorrect source citation or indication of credits or any other complaint, please contact the Circular Built Environment Hub. 
 

The earthquake-resistant mountain schools in Nepal are a series of projects realized in the Kaski district by the Dutch NGO Smart Shelter Foundation (SSF). The project aims to provide schooling opportunities for mountain villages in places where the existing schools were destroyed by seismic activity.

Two main construction methods are used for the walls of the schools, which are either made with rubble or with concrete blocks. The projects are realized in collaboration with local communities, and local construction workers are trained to execute the building process. Many materials used in construction are sourced from the local forests, mountains, and rivers or repurposed from school buildings destroyed in previous earthquakes. In this way, the negative environmental impact on the area is kept at a minimum. When designing the mountain schools, SSF focused on safety and durability, as the main aim was for them to withstand the many strong earthquakes that take place in Nepal. Moreover, it was important for the construction process to be easily understood by the locals.