- Year: 2014
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Photographs:Alejandro Arango, Fundación Argos
Text description provided by the architects. Camilo Mora Carrasquilla school is located in the Fuente Clara neighborhood, west of the city of Medellín, in an area with difficult pedestrian and vehicular access, and with little presence of facilities and public spaces. So its construction had a great social impact on the people, becoming a landmark that transforms the environment.
For the development of the project, a site was destined that when subjected to the strong building regulations in the area, only 38% of the site area was useful for building, consequently forcing two considerations: to maximize the surface, adjusting the building shape to the geometry of the useful area of the property, and to grow in height to meet the required program.
As a result, the project is consolidated in two volumes, one with a trapezoidal plan, which contains the collective program, such as library, computer rooms, and administrative areas. While the classrooms and bathrooms are grouped in another volume, more elongated and rectangular. In order to meet the required free areas, we chose to put terraces on the top level of the buildings, accompanied with sports programs such as a multipurpose court and outdoor gym.
A lattice of sunshades built into the western facade minimizes the impact of west sunlight in the classrooms. While on the eastern side, a large ramp unfolds opening laterally to form a courtyard.