NLÉ Makoko Floating School

Design specifications:

• Program: School, Community Building
• Area: 220 m²
• Construction: Timber structure on base made of plastic barrels.

NLÉ cites that they maintained it for the first two years and the repairs and maintenance were performed by carpenters and building team. In 2015 it was formally passed over to the Makoko Waterfront Community and NLÉ stepped back and took on an advisory role.

The first prototype collapsed after only three years of use. NLÉ cites that the collapse was primarily due to deterioration from lack of management after the structure was formally passed into the care of the community. Media articles highlighted some disagreement among stakeholders over the cause and details of the collapse.

The structure was monitored in its performance by NLÉ for the first two years.

NLE claims that the collapse of the Makoko Floating School was primarily due to deterioration and lack of maintenance after the structure had been handed over after two years of informal use and monitoring. An alternate perspective is from the headmaster who was quoted as saying that the school had only been open for a few months when he decided to relocate the students because he could see that the structure was not strong. The school was vacated about three months before the collapse and so no one was hurt.