Grow Your School project, classroom view.
FA info icon.svg Angle down icon.svg Project data
Authors Roberto Dumont
José Roberto Paredes
Kevin Moreno
José Edwin Parada
Location Ahuachapán, El Salvador
Made No
Replicated No
Uses Education, Architecture
OKH Manifest Download

Grow your school is a project created in 2017 by architecture studio Cincopatasalgato and engineering firm JEP Ingenieros for non-governmental organizations Central America Foundation for Rural Education Development (CAFRED) and ConTextos. It consists of a design proposal for a sustainably built school located in Caserío El Quebracho in Jujutla, department of Ahuachapán, El Salvador. The proposed construction area is 877.62 m², potentially impacting 400 direct beneficiaries.

Background[edit | edit source]

In the innermost areas of El Salvador, school buildings are vital to communities as they are often underutilized in the afternoon and serve as meeting place for various purposes. Bamboo and other raw materials are also commonly found in rural areas, which locals have used as construction resources for decades, both as a way to honor ancient practices and as a solution in the face of poverty.

Problem statement[edit | edit source]

The project addresses the possibility that classrooms can unite to make vocational education rooms, multiple uses and events typical of a community life, generating a sense of belonging that not only helps the development of the community but also that the infrastructure is not vandalized in any way. It also provides a way to reduce costs of enclosing walls as well as structural elements, providing solar protection, and using local materials that reduce the buildings carbon footprint.

Design pillars[edit | edit source]

Sustainability[edit | edit source]

As construction begins, bamboo is planted where solar protection is needed so by the sixth or seventh month of construction it can be cut, treated, and placed as screens where needed. An additional bamboo batch is reserved for later use on any repairs or additions. The project also includes communal gardens and tilapia pools run by community leaders, who can supply some of the food needed for refreshments. All the roofs of the classrooms facing south are addressed so that solar panels can be installed that can provide electric energy to the less favored communities.

Adaptability[edit | edit source]

From an economic viewpoint, some schools may only need an expansion or others may need to be built from the ground up, a reality that is addressed using a modular design. The base of every construction module is made of a variable mass of rocks that adapts to slopes of the terrain and absorb any risk of flooding: this mitigates common problems within rural areas of the country.

Breathability[edit | edit source]

It is common within rural communities for children to attend classes outdoors, under the shade of a tree. This project includes a fourway bamboo system to allow ventilation and protection in the classroom and other areas, thus integrating a decades-old custom within a modern design proposal.

Architectural designs[edit | edit source]

Structural planning[edit | edit source]

Render images[edit | edit source]

Team[edit | edit source]

Cincopatasalgato:

  • Roberto Dumont
  • José Roberto Paredes
  • Kevin Moreno

JEP Ingenieros:

  • José Edwin Parada
FA info icon.svg Angle down icon.svg Page data
Keywords sustainability, appropiate tecnology, construction, school
SDG SDG11 Sustainable cities and communities
Authors Andrea Maida
License CC-BY-SA-4.0
Organizations Central America Foundation for Rural Education Development (CAFRED), ConTextos, Cincopatasalgato
Language English (en)
Translations Spanish
Related 1 subpages, 4 pages link here
Impact 166 page views (more)
Created May 13, 2021 by Andrea Maida
Last modified January 29, 2024 by Felipe Schenone
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