Children Village Wins RIBA International Prize 2018
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Children Village, a new school complex on the edge of the rainforest in northern Brazil, has won this year’s RIBA International Prize.Designed by Brazilian architects Aleph Zero and Rosenbaum, the complex was chosen from a shortlist of four exceptional new
Children Village Wins RIBA International Prize 2018
Children Village, a new school complex on the edge of the rainforest in northern Brazil, has won this year’s RIBA International Prize.Designed by Brazilian architects Aleph Zero and Rosenbaum, the complex was chosen from a shortlist of four exceptional new buildings by a grand jury chaired by renowned architect Elizabeth Diller (DS+R). The award is given every two years to a building that “exemplifies design excellence and architectural ambition, while also delivering meaningful social impact.”“Children Village provides an exceptional environment designed to improve the lives and wellbeing of the school’s children,” said RIBA President Ben Derbyshire. “It illustrates the immeasurable value of good educational design.”Children Village is funded by the Bradesco Foundation. It is one of 40 schools run by the foundation, which aims to provide education for children in rural communities across Brazil. Children Village provides boarding facility for 540 children aged 13 to 18 years who attend the Canuanã School. Students come from remote areas of the country. Some even travel many hours by boat.The design was led by architects Gustavo Utrabo and Petro Duschenes from Aleph Zero and Marcelo Rosenbaum and Adriana Benguela from Rosenbaum. According to them, Children Village exemplifies how architecture can be a tool for social transformation. The team worked closely with the children to understand their needs and desires for their school. “They wanted to create an environment that could be a home away from home, where children could develop a strong sense of both individuality and belonging,” according to RIBA.“It has been a joy to see the children making the building their own and adapting the space to fit their needs,” said Gustavo Utrabo and Pedro Duschenes. “We wanted to be prescriptive without being overbearing, to be supportive without being patronizing, and to encourage growth and development without cosseting it.”The facility covering an area of almost 25,000 square meters has two separate but identical complexes for boys and girls. The ground level houses dormitory accommodation surrounded by three large, open and well-shaded courtyards. The first floor features flexible communal spaces ranging from reading spaces and television rooms, to balconies and hammocks, where the children can relax and play.The judges describe Children Village as “reinventing Brazilian vernacular.” Constructed with local resources, the building is cost effective and environmentally sustainable. “This approach creates a building with strong connections to its surroundings and with the community that it serves,” writes RIBA.Click on the slideshow for a sneak peek at the project. https://www.blouinartinfo.com/ Founder: Louise Blouin Read more
