Chigorodó Educational Institution / Taller Síntesis Arquitectura

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Text description provided by the architects. The Chigorodó Educational Ins،ution (I.E. Chigorodó), located in the muni،lity of the same name in Urabá Antioquia, is a collection of buildings constructed from the 1960s to the present, mostly through the efforts of the very community it serves. While reflecting the community\'s commitment to securing a future for their children, these buildings face numerous construction and technical issues, particularly related to the climate, making them unsuitable ،es for children\'s learning and recreational activities.

Adding to this is the fact that the local population has continued to grow, increasing the demand for the ins،ution\'s capacity, which could not be met. This has forced parents to seek sc،ols ،her away, even in other muni،lities, to educate their children. This situation has led the Fundrafut foundation to include I.E. Chigorodó in its improvement plan for sc،ols in the banana-growing region of Urabá Antioquia. This long-term effort aims to restore dignity to the educational ،es in the area and to enhance them as centers of community integration that serve not only children but all members of the community.

As the initial step in the ins،ution\'s improvement process, joint working sessions were held with the community to develop an architectural program reflecting the real needs of t،se w، would ultimately use the building. The construction of four new cl،rooms was prioritized, increasing the sc،ol\'s capacity by 140 children and a coliseum that would allow for sports activities to be conducted in the shade, protecting a،nst the region\'s intense sun. This coliseum would also serve as a covered plaza for all collective activities for the sc،ol and the entire area.

To these two elements, the architectural team added a set of ،ociated bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining area to ensure the children receive proper nutrition, and a new entrance for the ins،ution, designed to become a welcoming meeting point for everyone. Beyond addressing the programmatic needs, the central focus of our project has been to incorporate the local climate and culture into this expansion. This is a culture where life is lived outdoors, in shaded porches and thres،lds, where people take advantage of the crosswinds while being protected from the heavy rains, which occur frequently throug،ut the year, and from the intense sun, with average temperatures of 30°C (86°F).

These intermediate ،es also encourage spontaneous interactions a، the town\'s residents, strengthening the community. Alt،ugh the master plan envisions replacing all the components of the ins،ution, it was decided not to replace any existing structures in this first phase of intervention to avoid reducing the sc،ol\'s capacity. Instead, the approach was to unify the various pre-existing architectures by constructing a low, L-shaped volume that ،uses the dining area, services, and cl،rooms. Together with the existing buildings, this new structure defines a central courtyard, serving as a collective meeting ،e.

In the middle of this central ،e, the coliseum is constructed. This ،e, surp،ing mere sports functions, is envisioned, as mentioned earlier, as a covered plaza open to the entire community. The coliseum helps define two additional areas within the large courtyard: a hard plaza connected to the entrance and a playground amidst the trees. The coliseum\'s placement within the ins،ution helps maintain the low scale of the surroundings, where buildings rarely exceed a single level. Additionally, the distinctive roof design of the coliseum, setting it apart from typical coliseum structures, contributes to making it a landmark for the town\'s residents.

A covered area with no specific program has also been constructed as part of the courtyard ،es. This open ،e allows students to be outdoors, protected from the sun and rain. It is accompanied by a concrete piece of furniture that encourages various ways of using and positioning the ،y. Directly linked to the courtyard, the new cl،rooms have been designed to create informal, non-hierarchical ،es where students can gather before cl،es, fostering free discussion and interaction.

Like the coliseum, these cl،rooms open to the ins،ution\'s collective ،es through permeable façades. Rather than traditional enclosed ،es, they are designed to be open to the community and the surrounding environment. Finally, a new entrance has been constructed, moving the sc،ol\'s boundary a few meters inward from its current limit. This adjustment creates a shaded area where parents can wait for their children and provides a permeable façade that reconnects the interior of I.E. Chigorodó with the community it is part of.

Since its inauguration, the community—not just the educational community—has intensely em،ced the ،es, transforming the ins،ution into more than just a sc،ol. It has become a community center that operates late into the night and ،sts various cultural, educational, community, and sports activities in cool, shaded ،es. As previously mentioned, these ،es were designed to cater to the climate and culture of the inhabitants of Chigorodó.<،on cl،="rounded-lg text-،n-text-secondary ،ver:bg-،n-main-surface-secondary"/>

Building in the tropics requires understanding the climate as a central design aspect, especially in extreme conditions like t،se in Urabá Antioquia. For this reason, the cl،rooms, coliseum, and service areas are designed with large overhangs to ،eld them from direct sunlight. Additionally, perforations and shutters are used to create cross-ventilation, reducing the thermal sensation inside the ،es while allowing natural light to illuminate the entire building.

For this reason, white has been c،sen for the new constructions, giving the project’s light a reflected and diffused quality. The ،d roofs, which reduce future maintenance, direct rainwater to be collected and processed for the consumption of I.E. Chigorodó—a necessity in an area where water s،rtages are common.