The competition sought designs for an elementary school in Brasília, Brazil's capital, located on the city's outskirts near a new social housing development. Chosen from nearly 200 submissions, our proposal drew inspiration from the Aristotelian peripatetic teaching method, emphasizing outdoor learning experiences.

 

Approaching the site as a park, we envisioned the school building as a dynamic, walkable environment. Our design aimed to seamlessly blend interior and exterior spaces, fostering social interaction and creating an active landscape. The top floor featured a peripatoi, serving as a collective teaching and learning space, adaptable for classrooms as needed.

 

Despite stringent building codes and zoning regulations in Brasília, which prioritize modernist architectural aesthetics, our design combined elements of the modernist slab with traditional patio typologies. This hybrid approach allowed for improved ventilation, sunlight exposure, and spatial integration. The central courtyard, transformed into the school's focal point, featured an undulating topographic playscape and cylindrical learning spaces, enhancing the educational environment.

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More details about the competition are featured on the Codhab web page.