Rotondwa Mulaudzi

An exploration on how rural educational infrastructure in South Africa, particularly in Venda, continues to reflect spatial inequalities rooted in apartheid, limiting access, resources, and learner potential. It examines the relationship between education as a social construct and the spaces that support it, questioning how these environments can better serve both learners and the wider community. Through interviews, historical research, precedent studies, and spatial mapping, the study engages with voices from education, architecture, and the arts. Grounded in the theoretical lens of embodied learning and the practice of clay making, the design process embraces imperfection, adaptability, and learning through doing. The architectural response proposes a flexible, community-oriented intervention that follows the site’s natural rhythms and fosters transformation through spatial transparency. Ultimately, the thesis redefines rural educational infrastructure, not merely as functional space, but as an enabler of potential, identity, and belonging, shifting the conversation from access alone to meaningful engagement.