One More Room
[Modular satellite preschool for Ethiopian]
Formal education has become an engine of progress in developing societies and has been understood as a basic universal right for both the individual and the community, which, however, is not always put into practice in adequate spaces for the teaching-learning process to be effective. When we think of classrooms in schools, we understand these as closed spaces that contain a limited number of people and furniture that in certain cases do not favor the execution of pertinent teaching methods or the increase of students.
Focused on the flexibility of the space, the design is conceived from modules initially of 50 m2, composed of a curved rigid wall that functions as a warehouse and structural stabilizer, and three retractable and folding modular timber frames wattle-and-daub walls attached to the public spaces, which allow the growth of the teaching area.
The first proposal for the adaptability of the module is based on the expansion of the wall opposite the curved wall towards the central space of the architectural compound, which increases the classroom by an additional 25 m2. On the other hand, for further expansion of the space, the second proposal considers the folding of the side walls towards the free areas between the modules, connecting them together to create spaces of a total of 150 m2, if needed in larger congregations.
In addition to the classrooms, the project contemplates two additional areas formed from the arrangement of the modules. The first area is the central corridor that connects the modules internally and allows for their expansion, and whose roof serves as a rainwater collection channel.
The second area is composed of other public spaces, both open and closed, including septic tank latrines and the roofed playground, some of which function as expansion spaces for the modules. The roofed areas designed in the proposal have a chamber for the retention of hot air coming from the metal roof using textiles made by the inhabitants of the site, giving a cultural identity to the work.
The proposal employs construction methods and considers materials used in previous buildings on the site. In this way, construction is facilitated and resources are optimized based on the experience of the project’s executors, orienting the design to the adaptability of the space, accentuating its flexibility.
