LA ESCUELA___ announces the Results of the “Building Schools___Public Spaces” art and architecture competition
Art as education, and education as collective learning in public spaces – this idea is also being implemented in the CUNA project.
© CUNA
How can we design educational spaces so that they exist in creative interaction with their social and ecological environment? LA ESCUELA___ called on architects, artists and communities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean to submit concepts that transform public spaces into innovative learning environments. The Colombian project CUNA, an interactive mangrove nursery, was selected from over 200 applications.
“Building Schools___Public Spaces” called for the submission of projects with a holistic vision that has a lasting impact on the respective location and is specifically tailored to it. The concepts also had to be aimed at social, economic and ecological sustainability. The following criteria were therefore decisive in evaluating the projects:
- technical aspects (materials, functionality, durability)
- the relevance of the project to the context (problems addressed, solutions, community involvement)
- formal aspects of the architectural design
- feasibility within the defined time and budget frame
Winning project CUNA
The project “CUNA: Escuela porosa de construcción de paisaje” (CUNA: Porous School of Landscaping) brought together various institutions from the fields of art, architecture and education as well as the local fishermen’s association. A mangrove nursery is planned in which local landscape caretakers and citizens will work together in developing seedlings and learning about the territory at the same time.
The team is made up by Camila Agudelo, Luis González, Antonio Celia, Manuela Quijano, Luis Ávila, Andrés Oyaga, and Rodrigo Chain. Involved institutions: La Orilla Studio – Architecture and Art Space; OAU – Oficina de Arquitectura y Urbanismo; Asoplaya – Fishermen’s Association of ‘La Playa’ neighborhood; and Cayena – Office of Art and Culture of the Universidad del Norte.
The winning project receives financial support and accompaniment during the process. The local entity participating in the team shall assume the legal and organizational responsibilities required. The project will be completed within six months in 2024.
The jury also honored five other projects for their high quality and social relevance in a shortlist. Find out more on the LA ESCUELA___ website.
Related Links
LA ESCUELA___: An art platform for radical learning in public space
LA ESCUELA___ is both an art project and an art school. With no roof and no walls, the school leaves the framework of familiar institutions and addresses the social realities that surround it. Collaborative learning communities in public space are created through art actions in Latin American cities and a dedicated online platform.