The project consists in three main ideas:
1. Public Atrium:
The school forms part of the city where it's based in and for that it must be open to its surroundings and its community. The project proposes a great quad that unites the two main entrances and that at the same time can function as a public plaza during weekends hosting different activities. As a distribution strategy, the more public areas such as library, auditorium, gymnasium, workshops and more, converge to the main patio, relating with the classrooms and its circulations.
The atrium generates at the same time covered spaces that free area on the first floor allowing and creating sheltered areas from rainy and cold days. By doing so, the teaching area is concentrated on the second and third floors.
2. Energy efficiency and Lighting control:
The orientation and distribution of the main activities is organized to generate the most luminic control in the classrooms by orienting them to the South, patios and quads oriented to the North and West so to take advantage of natural light.
3. Materials and constructive system:
The Atrium concept requieres wide covered spaces that are only obtained by constructing with reinforced concrete. This is also advantageous for generating long ramps and circulations that connect both buildings. Also, this material provides lasting qualities and low maintenance in a humid salty weather such as San Antonio.
By working with such a material it provides large sized walls that can be covered with artwork, mosaics and much more.
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