Colombo Hebreo School

Bogotá, Colombia

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Colombo Hebreo School

Bogotá, Colombia

Firm

Camilo Fuentes

Type

Educational › Elementary School High School

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2024

SIZE

25,000 sqft - 100,000 sqft

BUDGET

$5M - 10M

Photos

Alejandro Arango (33)

The renovation of the Colombo Hebreo School in Bogotá is the most ambitious project the Jewish community has undertaken in the city over the last 40 years. After more than 70 years of organic growth without a defined master plan for its campus, a historic opportunity arose to rethink and project it for the next 50 years. The plan required selling nearly a third of the land to secure funding, which obligated a complete reconfiguration of the layout of the new buildings within the campus.

The original layout of the buildings followed a functional program dictated by a central pathway, along which buildings and classrooms were casually arranged. Despite having large green areas, the buildings were disconnected from one another, creating a sense of fragmentation among the various areas. To address this, the new master plan radically reorganizes the campus, creating three clear programmatic zones: academic areas, sports facilities, and service buildings, all integrated around the green space. The central pathway is transformed into a grand promenade that serves as the unifying axis of the aforementioned buildings.

The new architectural design seeks to express the fundamental values of Judaism. The Jewish people, recognized as the "People of the Book," needed their most important institution to reflect this identity. The architecture is sober, understated, and timeless, grounded in repetitive rhythms as a symbol of perseverance, resilience, and effort. It employs minimalist materials—concrete, iron, and glass—juxtaposed yet integrated with nature, symbolizing values of respect for the world we live in and for ourselves, creating spaces for reflection and learning that transcend the classroom.

The program is distributed across four clearly identifiable buildings, connected by lightweight structures, all converging in the central plaza and the Atrium—the most symbolic space among all the proposed buildings. This space symbolizes the solemnity and respect of the community for its history and traditions. It is a place where nothing and everything happens, inviting reflection on the connection between the earthly and the celestial in a transition to the world of learning and knowledge. The double-height space appears out of scale relative to the buildings that precede it but offers a ceremonial and reverent atmosphere that elevates the importance of academia in preserving the legacy of the people.

The buildings, interconnected by bridges, corridors, plazas, courtyards, and green areas, will house classrooms, multipurpose spaces, administrative offices, a library, laboratories, an art room, a makerspace (STEM), a music room, and an auditorium, among other facilities.

This project not only achieved the physical renewal of the school’s campus but also created a space that fosters learning, strengthens community bonds, and cements the Jewish cultural legacy. Every corner reflects the history and aspirations of this community.