Redefine Education - Mark Schaerer; Lekgolo Mayatula; Ann Simmonds

The Mimosa Alleyway Project

Mark Schaerer; Lekgolo Mayatula; Ann Simmonds

This Presentation explores the Mimosa Alleyway Project: a long-term, Reggio Emilia-inspired pedagogical initiative positioning children as active citizens and co-researchers in the making of public space. It unpacks how cross-disciplinary and experiential learning can transform a school’s engagement with its immediate urban context, elevating the contribution of education to democratic participation.

*Please bring your notebook and stationery along to this session.

Mark Schaerer is the principal of SRS Architects, a small architecture practice based in Brixton. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture and a Master of Urban Design from the University of the Witwatersrand.

With a strong focus on the educational sector, Mark has worked on projects for universities and schools across the country. His practice is highly collaborative, engaging in both traditional architectural fields and broader interdisciplinary work. He has served as a Competition Administrator for multiple architectural competitions, contributed to public space activations, and co-organized Open Streets events and the Brixton Light Festivals.

His recent work explores the intersection of public space, child-led design, and the built environment, with a particular focus on revitalizing disused sanitary lanes in both Johannesburg’s suburban and urban contexts.

In addition to his practice, Mark is a part-time lecturer at Wits University.

Lekgolo Mayatula is a master’s student in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Johannesburg, a registered professional town planner and the founder of DCC Planning Solutions, a firm dedicated to inclusive planning with a strong focus on children’s spatial rights. With over two decades of experience in public and private planning sectors in South Africa, she combines urban planning with early childhood development, drawing from her background in ECD to advocate for children’s participation in the planning and design of spaces that affect them.

Ann Simmonds is a teacher at Mimosa School, a Reggio inspired preschool in Auckland Park. She has previously worked in community engagement and safety, children's museums and is passionate about safe public spaces for children. Ann has a masters in Arts from Wits and completed the inaugural GIBS Social Enterprise Certificate Programme.