King’s College School in Nassau, designed by SAOTA with landscape design by Raymond Jungles, rethinks educational architecture through a lens of climate, culture, and community. Commissioned by the Inspired Education Group, the new campus moves away from traditional Caribbean school models toward a contemporary, climate-responsive, and socially integrated design that mirrors the island’s natural and cultural rhythms.
EDUCATIONAL ARCHITECTURE
Set within the lush landscape of the Bahamas, the campus challenges the symmetry and enclosed nature of older educational structures. SAOTA introduces a continuous base structure, or plinth, which connects all programmatic elements into a walkable network of learning spaces. Above it, a series of classroom volumes rise in varied heights, creating a rhythm that reflects the fragmented geography of the Bahamian archipelago. This multi-layered approach makes movement between classrooms a journey through light, shadow, and vegetation, a daily experience of openness and connection.
Informed by Bahamian vernacular architecture, the design uses shading, natural ventilation, and generous verandas to respond to the island’s tropical climate. Large overhanging roofs protect against both sun and rain, while shaded breezeways and open-air circulation routes minimize reliance on air conditioning. Classrooms and courtyards work together as a passive cooling system, maintaining comfort while reducing energy use and promoting sustainability.
Materiality anchors the project in its context. The darker-toned plinth references the nearby ocean, while lighter upper levels evoke the island’s pastel buildings and sandy beaches. Concrete floors embedded with seashell aggregate provide a tactile reminder of the island’s natural textures, and the use of durable, weather-resistant materials ensures long-term resilience in a hurricane-prone environment.
Landscape design plays a central role in the spatial experience. Raymond Jungles integrates native tropical vegetation, shaded courtyards, and open-air classrooms, creating a living ecosystem that supports both ecological and educational growth. The campus feels porous and alive, where learning extends seamlessly into gardens, breezeways, and outdoor gathering spaces.
King’s College School embodies a new typology for educational architecture in the Caribbean. It’s not only a place of instruction but a landscape of learning, one that celebrates movement, adaptability, and the profound relationship between built form, climate, and culture.
