Guadual Children Center - Columbia

Daniel Joseph Feldman Mowerman + Ivan Dario

Quinones Sanchez
Guadual Children Center - Columbia

Architects : Daniel Joseph Feldman Mowerman,Ivn Dario

Quiones Sanchez

Location : Villarrica, Villa Rica, Cauca department,Colombia

Area : 1823.0 sqm

Project Year : 2013

Client :Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar, ICBF.

The Center's inauguration in October 2013, marked the end of a three
year long participatory design and construction effort

Design charades with local kids, teenagers, early youth workers, and
leaders were the starting point of the design in terms of spaces, materials,
dimensions, and relations with the city.

El Guaduals construction, completed with $1.6 million in private and

public funds, took nine months with 60 primarily local laborers.
During the construction process
more than 60 local builders were
employed and certified in
construction techniques.

30 local women were trained in

early youth educator before being
certified and hired to become the
daily workforce of the center.

El Guadual has generated a

notable urban impact for it offers
generous sidewalks and landscape
to the public

an open public outdoor movie

theater, a semi-private arts and
performing room open to the
community at night and weekends,
and a civic square.

The wide array of public amenities

has made of El Guadual a new pole
 Composed of 10
classrooms
dining hall
indoor and outdoor
recreation
semi-private arts spaces
first aid room
administration
vegetable garden
water feature
public outdoor theater
civic plaza

Four distinct blocks compose El Guaduals

entrance and communal areas, which
include a first-aid station, dining hall, and
two multipurpose rooms, one of which
opens as a stage for the adjacent public
plaza.
Behind this semi-public zone, ten
classrooms define an inner
courtyard that encompasses a
playground vegetable garden, and
deep overhangs for shade.

A manmade stream winds through

the courtyard

This attitude is especially evident in

the classrooms that each
accommodate 20 children.
Numerous connections between
Circular openings reached by
classrooms for children include
ramps lead to outdoor play
tunnels, bridges, stairs, and slides.
Each classroom has its own bathroom
allowing kids to use it whenever they
feel like it
Both pedagogical and practical,
rainwater-collection cisterns supply
water for each rooms two sinks and
toilets.

Interior walls and floors are polished

concrete, except in the infant rooms
where vinyl floors make for
comfortable crawling.
 The project is an example of low
tech environmental construction.

It is responsible with the

environment in terms of the
materials it use, the water and
energy it consumes, and the
durability of the materials.
Plentiful skylight openings for
each classroom provide natural
ventilation and daylight
The multi-layered roof controls
the impact of direct sunlight on
The multi-layered roof controls the the interior.
impact of the sun inside the rooms. ventilated naturally allowing the
center to work without the need of
energy.

Made of reinforced concrete cast in

split bamboo, the centers textured
exterior walls absorb heat to keep the
interiors cool while referencing
indigenous mud-and-bamboo building
techniques.
Each classroom collects rain water
that is used for gardening and
maintenance.
The central water feature recalculates
the water it uses and allows kids to
interact with water as a recreational
element

The fence capped with recycled

bottles were collected and installed The textured walls were made
by the educators who now take care using local techniques of split
Exposed bamboo screens, rafters,
and ceilings throughout the interiors
echo the regions traditional bamboo
structures.

Simple furnishings can be rearranged,

and the bamboo-and-concrete palette
creates a neutral setting for
inhabitants decorative contributions.