Introduction

Bolivia is a South American country enjoying a central position with no less than five neighbors: Peru, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. Well known for having the highest capital city in the world (La Paz: administrative capital), its territory is deeply shaped by its geography. There are two main areas: the plains with a tropical or desert climate — depending on the region, and the high plateaus. The latter is called the Altiplano, varying between 3500m and 4000m in altitude, and boasts some of the highest peaks in the world. The strategic position of the altiplano with its historic trade routes makes this region the cultural cradle of South America.

Bolivia is a society with a very diverse culture. Today, mestizos (individuals of indigenous and Spanish descent) represent the majority of the population, but more than 20% of the population is still indigenous. Almost 95% of the population is Christian. However, the Christian religion is mixed with many Inca or Aymara beliefs, which are the most represented indigenous groups.

Composed of about 11 million inhabitants, the country is divided into three main cities: Sucre, which is the constitutional capital, La Paz, which is the administrative capital, and Santa Cruz, the country’s largest city, now the economic center, thanks in particular to its hydrocarbon exploitation.

Despite the changes in recent years, more than 5 million people live below the poverty line with a wide disparity between urban and rural areas where the poverty rate is very high. Faced with this situation, TECHO Bolivia works in the district of La Arboleda de Fatima in the suburbs of Santa Cruz. Their goal is to give as many families as possible a decent housing.

Project

After several diagnoses in this neighborhood, another observation emerged: there is need for a daycare center to improve the quality of life of families. A daycare center would allow parents to work without leaving their children alone at home and allow elders to go to school when parents are working. In this context, ARCHsharing, in collaboration with TECHO Bolivia, organizes the competition «Kindergarten Rehabilitation in Bolivia» for the construction of a kindergarten in a district of La Arboleda de Fatima on the periphery of the city of Santa Cruz.

The project strategic location, within the boundaries of the new primary and secondary school, will allow students to accompany their younger siblings to the kindergarten and no longer miss school days for they have to look after them when parents can’t. The site includes two disused buildings that used to form the old school, as well as a large covered sports field that is rarely used today. The two existing buildings are in a bad condition, they can’t be used as it is for security or comfort reasons. That’s why a rehabilitation strategy is asked. The project area is delimited by the school compound and the separation wall between the new and the old school.

The project will have to meet many social, constructive and economic challenges while offering the children of the district a playful and quality place. Today, the demand in this neighborhood represents more than 500 children between the ages of 2 and 5 who do not have access to a kindergarten. In order to accommodate as many children as permissible, a rehabilitation of the two existing buildings and a 100m2 extension will be necessary. A landscaping proposal will complete the project to provide an outdoor courtyard for children. 

Growin’ Up Modules - extension proposal

This kindergarten rehabilitation is an opportunity to give children a sense of place and identity, while providing a healthy and interactive environment. The project is focused on function and efficiency, achieved by the exploration of modularity and cost. An extensive analysis of expenses proves that there is a dramatic drop in budget if the existing buildings are not demolished, but instead renovated and integrated within the new design. This deduction became one of the greatest focus and challenge of the project, providing 70% of total programmatic spaces and significantly saving on demolition costs.

To accommodate 500 children, an extension is recommended. The goal was to propose minimal new construction, so the total floor area for new construction is 75sqm. The idea is that the kindergarten can grow in phases (based on program demand and budget) and that way modules can be added and combined with each other based on the kindergarten necessity. This is where the idea of modules become an interactive design process, providing rearrangement of spaces and connecting with each other as desired - and needed.

Inspiration was driven by the system of roads organized into “rings”, that creates what today is the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. These rings combined with the shape of children’s building blocks – or toys, generate an interesting yet flexible mass module with an area of 12.5m² and cost range from $600-$1200. This proposal delivers a simple yet meaningful architecture approach that encourage adaptive thinking and sustainable solutions.

module options

Flexible design for future expansion and arrangement - 12.5 m2 per module

Module axonometric

In line with TECHO’s materials + construction capacities

Module Possible arrangements

Modules are an interactive design process, which provide rearrangement of spaces and possibility for expansion in phases by adding modules based on program demand.

Floor plan layouts

Modules are intended to connect in a way that creates a circle with a green central space, which is accessible from every module and provides safety for younger children.

Back to projects homepage

▲