29 de Noviembre School Reconstruction / Taller Síntesis

Architects:Taller Sintesis

Area:4093m²

Year:2020

Photographs:Isaac Ramírez,Anderson Serna,Daniel Bernal

Manufacturers:Argos,Calypso proyectos,Casa Medina,Cubiertec,Estaco,Pisos Alfa,PrefaUraba

Lead Architects:Farhid Maya Ramírez, David Cuartas Restrepo

Design Team:Arquitectos Anderson Serna, Alejandra Montoya, Mauricio Carvajal, Federico Fois

Clients:BANAFRUT

Engineering:Simétrica

Construction:Soluciones Constructivas SA

Electrical Design:PC Mejía

Hydro Sanitary Design:Hidro F Salinas SAS

Management:Londoño Gómez

Supervision:Umbral

City:Nueva Colonia

Country:Colombia

Text description provided by the architects. Colegio 29 de Noviembre is an educational institution built in 2010 in the district of Nueva Colonia, in Turbo, Colombia. One of the few public infrastructures in a town with high rates of poverty and deficiencies at all levels in public services, roads, housing, etc.

Unfortunately, at the time of its construction, the conditions of the place were ignored, a zone with an average temperature of 29°C, with a humidity of more than 80% and heavy rainfall. The school building then lacked logic in its implementation, which generated problems such as classrooms that were too hot and dark, since they were spaces that were closed to the outside, denying the possibility of cross ventilation; or roofs without eaves that, in addition to generating leaks and flooding due to water retention on the roof with an attic wall, did not protect the walls from the strong sun in the area, which heated up the interior spaces even more.

In addition, and just as importantly, the opportunity to build not only classrooms but also spaces that would provide the building with uses for the entire community, was not utilized. For example, the central courtyard was a marshy area that didn't allow play and activities and in which animals such as snakes and buffaloes lived, putting the students in danger.

In 2018, in collaboration with the Fundafrut Foundation, we advanced the proposal to intervene in the existing building, improving the conditions in which the children studied, in addition to expanding the existing facilities. To do this, we started from three premises:

The project was able to resolve not only the constructive and outlining problems of the old building but also motivated the students to use the facilities of Colegio 29 de Noviembre more intensively, which in turn managed to generate new dynamics in the area, with additional courses for extracurricular hours for children who wanted to stay at school for longer, which in turn forced extracurricular activities to be scheduled for parents and people outside the school, who with curiosity visited the school to see why the children didn't want to leave it.

Project gallery

Project location

Address:Nueva Colonia, Turbo, Antioquia, Colombia