Accessibility and equality of opportunity in 7 educational spaces
As democratizing catalysts, educational spaces play a pivotal role in shaping individuals and entire communities. These places, where students spend significant time developing their abilities, skills and competences, are more than a backdrop for promoting a fundamental right, they are key elements in providing equal opportunities for all.
Open and shared facilities such as schoolyards, courtyards and auditoriums are great examples of how spaces can encourage students, teachers, parents and community members to learn from each other in active dialogue. Flexibility and accessibility are two other key points for promoting the democratization of both design and education, as seen in programs that go beyond classroom time and encourage communities to participate, for example.
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By increasing access and equity of opportunity, the projects presented below are great examples of how architecture can enhance the democratic value of educational spaces through diverse perspectives.
Walirumana / Salba Ethno Education Centre
Uribia, Colombia
“Ethnoeducation and entrepreneurship centers materialize the three pillars of the foundation in charge of the project, Proyecto Guajira. Education, development and basic social support are essential to generate real change, and in this premise an architectural model is proposed that aims to influence different communities in the upper Guajira by providing an appropriate space for these activities.”
Jadgal Primary School / Daaz Office
Seyed Bar, Iran
“Finally, by challenging the political and social concept of the boundary (the Wall) between free will and coercion in the presence of the school – in a society traditionally dominated by tyranny – it succeeded in winning over the mental majority of most of the villagers – who initially opposed the construction of the wall and making the school the center of the neighborhood and a gathering place for all residents. An exercise in influencing architecture in the transition to democracy.”
La Felicidad School / FP architecture
Bogotá, Colombia
“Courtyards of different scales (classroom courtyards, recreation courtyards and the large main courtyard) are conceived as spaces for democratic living, allowing students and teachers to meet and recognize each other as part of an academic community and, in a broader sense, as citizens. “
Ultimo Public School / DesignInc + Lacoste + Stevenson + bmc2 architectes
Ultimo, Australia
“To maximize usable space, all terraces and roofs are converted into gardens or play spaces, allowing learning spaces to connect directly to the outdoor spaces. Each playground has its own unique atmosphere adapted to its use. Providing access to spaces for use by the local community has ensured that the school is a vibrant new space for the whole community even outside of school hours.”
Alto Anapati Preschool / Seeds
Alto Anapati, Peru
“Finally, one of the main considerations of this project was about the role that public infrastructure plays in a rural jungle community. The school must be understood as a space not only in its physical construction, but also in its symbolic construction of belonging, identity and struggle for the right to another way of life.”
Chuquibambilla School / AMA + Bosch Arquitectos
Chuquibambila, Peru
“More than just a place for learning during school hours, the school strives to be a place of development and exchange for the whole community, always alive, where parents, students and teachers can meet for learning and recreation.”
Jerusalem de Miñaro Primary School / Semena
San Martin de Pangoa, Peru
“The goal of the project was to create a ‘democratic space’ where children, youth and adults can dream and plan their desired future. As such, we proposed an integrated methodology involving the collaboration of various national and international institutions and directly involved the community in every phase of the project.”
Note: The quoted texts are taken from the descriptions of each project submitted by the respective architects.
This article is part of ArchDaily Topics: Democratizing Design. Each month we explore a topic in depth through articles, interviews, news and projects. Learn more about our topics on ArchDaily. As always, at ArchDaily we welcome contributions from our readers; if you want to submit an article or project, contact us.