Eco Factor: Environmentally friendly school building harnesses rainwater as well.
The locality of Ciudad Bolívar situated in the southwest of Bogotá has the lowest socioeconomic indices and “quality of life” conditions in the city are such that more than half of the population lives on less than $2 a day. Designers Wolfgang Timmer, Fabiola Uribe and T. Luke Young are trying to better the living standards of the children living in this area with a school that provides education in a sustainable fashion.
Christened Justified Architecture in a Landscape of Transformation the design tries to better the physical infrastructure of the already developed school in the locality, which lack the spatial attributes necessary to fully realize its aims. Recognizing that information technology is an important aspect of contemporary learning, the classroom of the future should not be considered in isolation, but as part of a larger organism, which is the city.
The designers have proposed an open-air terraced classroom that permits a flexible space adaptable to different teaching needs. The proposal also recovers the local landscape through reforestation of native species. Moreover, rainwater collection systems will also be included to harvest water from the hillside and roofs. This water will later be used for gardening and landscaping.
The eco-conscious school building will be constructed from natural materials that include locally sourced wood, ecological bricks and the use to stone to reduce the use of concrete and bricks. Recycled wood, such as plywood, will also be used to reduce construction costs and facilitate the building process.
Via: Open Architecture Network
