On the occasion of the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Nuevo Continente School, Querétaro campus, a master plan was developed in several stages in order to upgrade the facilities. The project includes as design premises, values such as safety, versatility, mobility and comfort for students.
The gradual construction and replacement of buildings was one of the leading premises of the project due to the flow of students to house while their own schools were updated.
The first challenge was to relocate 400 students and take advantage of resources, avoiding temporary buildings, so the answer would have to be a building elastic enough to increase and decrease its spaces quickly and economically to afterwards become part of the final program of school.
Mexico today has serious problems of both adult and child obesity, it is the most important issue in terms of health and the primary cause of death. So the first building, in addition to complying with a program based on the versatility of spaces and the weather conditions of the site, attempts to answer these pressing social issues. It is located on the side of the school's sports area in order to visually encourage constant physical activity.
The first part of the master plan consists of a central building of 12 x 100 meters, which combined with the lateral pads form a 2.700 m2 building divided into two levels. The first floor houses the control services, toilets and parking spaces for management. The road pattern suggests what will be a circuit allowing students to ascend and descend safely, comfortably and efficiently from transport, relieving traffic from nearby roads.
The first floor houses the control and sanitary services, as well as parking for management. The road suggests what will be a circuit that allows students to get on and off from transport vehicles safely, comfortably and efficiently inside the premises, relieving the surrounding roads.
The second floor meets the challenge of new educational models, providing a gallery 100 meters long comprising 4 large classrooms, 20 x 7 meters each, that are interrelated through their hallways and side circulations, which vary their heights between 3.30 and 4.5 meters. Each is easily divisible into 2, 3 or 4 spaces without losing their properties of cross ventilation, natural lighting and independent access, which favor and encourage learning and self-motivation regarding knowledge. Side circulations absorb a double function, as they traverse the entire building perimeter, becoming a natural bleacher for sporting events.
The language of the building maintains its monumental tone that characterizes Mexican architecture, and forcefully exposes the concrete structure which gradually fades from the frontal perspective.
The contact with the environment is present through windows 2.70 meters high, and the warm touches of tropical wood doors, benches and planters reminiscent of Mother Earth.
