Comment of the Holcim Awards 2005 Jury for Latin America
The work inventively implements a comprehensive series of environmentally sensitive features in a public school facility.
Deserving attention are such features as natural ventilation, natural lighting with protection provided from direct solar radiation, and an accessible roof garden. Although such measures are widely deployed, this project is distinguished as an innovative contribution to the region.
Instead of manifesting a foreign element in the environment, great care is taken to effectively integrate the ensemble of indoor and outdoor spaces into the natural surroundings, suggesting an expanded conception of ecosystems. In addition to these concerns, every attempt has been made to maximize performance of both the architectural and natural systems while assuring their mutual resonance and compatibility.
Also deserving merit is the intensive analysis of the building’s adaptability to changing light conditions throughout the year.
Contextual sensitivity is further signaled by the skillful combination of modern expression and responsiveness to local parameters. Stakeholders play a direct role in the design and decision making process.
Overall, the work presents a very legible spatial order that is aesthetically cultivated and attuned to the needs of diverse local interests.