HPI School of Design Thinking by KMH Architects

The Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at the University of Cape Town (UCT) is a milestone project: the third Design Thinking institute worldwide and the only one on the African continent dedicated exclusively to teaching, researching, and practicing design thinking. This pioneering initiative aims to equip individuals with the skills and mindset necessary to tackle complex social, political, and economic challenges by focusing on human-centered innovation. The school does not just deliver education—it creates an environment where collaboration, experimentation, and iteration become part of everyday learning.

Co-Creation as the Starting Point

What sets this project apart is that design thinking principles shaped the building’s creation from the outset. KMH Architects proposed to UCT that the design brief itself be co-created, inviting the client team to become collaborators in the design process. Together, the architects and the HPI d-school Afrika team engaged in workshops to explore needs, goals, and aspirations, developing initial massing studies and concept sketches collectively. This four-year collaborative journey allowed the resulting building to be deeply aligned with the pedagogical model it serves, embodying flexibility, inclusivity, and transparency.

Planning, Flexibility, and Transparency

The building’s program called for maximum spatial flexibility, ensuring that the school could easily adapt as its curriculum and methods evolve. To achieve this, KMH Architects placed structural cores, vertical circulation, and service risers along the southern edge of the building. This strategy freed up large, uninterrupted spans on the northern and western sides, creating open, adaptable learning environments.

Central to the design is the “Us Space,” a large, roofed atrium and courtyard that acts as the heart of the school—a place of informal interaction, cross-pollination of ideas, and spontaneous collaboration. Around this central square, teaching and learning studios are arranged as “We Spaces,” large rectangular rooms with flat floors and furniture mounted on wheels. These studios can function independently or be opened up to expand into the central space, fostering engagement and visual connection between activities.

Complementing these communal zones are “Me Spaces,” quiet rooms positioned at either end of the building, offering students and staff opportunities for ideation, reflection, or recovery. Staff offices and breakout areas are integrated along the main entrance route, encouraging casual encounters and conversation between faculty and students.

Materiality, Systems, and Sustainability

In both form and expression, the building communicates openness and experimentation. An exposed cable tray grid organizes all electrical and data services, with pull-down power cables providing maximum flexibility for different spatial configurations. This approach not only future-proofs the building but also makes its systems legible, turning infrastructure into a teaching tool.

Sustainability was a major driver of the project, with the school targeting a 6 Star Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) rating—the highest possible certification. Achieving this required design innovation at every level, from passive design strategies to energy-efficient systems, water conservation measures, and the responsible selection of materials. By integrating these sustainable solutions visibly and accessibly, the building becomes part of UCT’s wider goal of being a “living laboratory,” where students can learn directly from the built environment around them.

Integration with Campus and Context

While the d-school is unmistakably a unique facility with its own identity, KMH Architects ensured it is harmoniously integrated with the broader UCT campus fabric. Its siting, scale, and material palette acknowledge the university’s architectural character while signaling that this is a space for a different kind of learning—collaborative, experimental, and cross-disciplinary. Glazed openings, layered façades, and carefully oriented views connect the interior to the surrounding landscape, reinforcing the school’s focus on transparency and connection.

A Space for the Future

The HPI d-school Afrika represents more than a building—it is a physical manifestation of a mindset shift in education. Its open-plan studios, adaptable learning environments, and central “town square” offer a spatial framework that encourages innovation and collaboration. By embedding design thinking principles in its own creation, the project models the very process it exists to teach.

As Africa’s first dedicated Design Thinking institute, this building is a beacon for a new generation of problem-solvers. It demonstrates how architecture can not only accommodate but actively enhance progressive educational models, fostering curiosity, empathy, and creativity in tackling the complex challenges of our time.

Photography: Paris Brummer