A BTS (Built to Suit) development carried out by the developer Patrimônio, the architectural project for Carandá Educação had as its main premise the optimization of costs and construction deadlines, with an extensive and complex program of needs to be implemented on a 3,275.18 m² plot of land. In pursuit of the best result, considerations included optimizing land occupancy and usage, rationalizing the built area, sustainability solutions, accessibility and safety, interactivity between the environments of the program of needs, and connection with the surroundings.
Inspired by the origins of the Carandá Vivavida Educação school — welcoming, with plural pedagogical actions, and committed to educating students engaged in today's world with a future-oriented vision — the project sought to transform the school into a flexible, collaborative space connected to the place where it is located.
In this sense, spatial and architectural quality promote an environment favorable to student learning and development. The heart of the project is an empty, blank, collective, and celebratory space. A central courtyard, permeable to the eyes of society, promotes coexistence and visually connects the countless activities and educational stages.
These created open spaces integrate and, at the same time, free the student to build knowledge and social relationships. The individuality of each school stage remains preserved, now with the curious gaze promoted by this visual permeability, which inspires and welcomes everyone in the same space.
The main challenge was implementing an extensive and complex program requiring integration on a plot smaller than the school previously occupied elsewhere, resulting in a vertical building. Given this scenario, the building was placed along the perimeter of the lot, giving prominence to the created empty spaces. The program was radially sectorized, with the primary school stages on the ground floor, close to the entrance, sequenced horizontally and vertically according to the development of each educational stage.
Common uses were democratically placed in the building's vertical center to promote social interactivity, reinforced by the building's volumetric stepping and the open spaces also present on floors above ground level, resulting from this stepping.
The program considers all educational stages, including environments for Nursery (children from 4 months old) and Integrated (up to 2-3 years old), Kindergarten (3 to 5-6 years old), Elementary School 1 (6 to 10-11 years old), Elementary School 2 (11 to 14-15 years old), High School (15 to 17-18 years old), as well as Common/Administrative areas, Complementary Activities, and covered and uncovered sports courts. Technical areas and parking also compose the program considered in the school project.
The adopted construction system was precast concrete, which, despite the imposed rigidity, provided structural elements (beams) to meet the concept of visual permeability between the various educational stages.
In its conception, bioclimatic architecture concepts and sustainability strategies were considered to ensure environmental comfort for users. To improve energy efficiency, concepts such as natural ventilation, night cooling, brise-soleil over window frames, solar energy capture, rainwater reuse, green roofs, among others, were considered. Expanded metal sheets with visual permeability were used as brise-soleil over window frames to ensure environmental comfort in internal spaces and on railings in open floor areas.
The landscaping present in the open areas is extremely important to the project given the desired integration of these spaces with the internal environments. The plant species proposed by the landscape architect play a fundamental role in the sustainability strategies and pedagogical actions proposed by the school.
The sports courts with grille enclosures were placed on the roof floors to give the ensemble greater lightness, in addition to contributing to the project's acoustic efficiency. Some automation features related to student safety were considered. Passive environmental comfort strategies were preferentially adopted in the project to ensure the building's energy efficiency.
For internal environments and open spaces, materials and furniture that promote interaction and coexistence among users were explored. Playful and integrative spaces were created with materials suitable for the building's use, and library furniture was designed to store books, ensure visual permeability of the environment, and promote interaction among users.
The facades translate the concepts adopted in the school building project, especially the prominence of empty spaces (stepping) and visual permeability. Colors and geometric shapes were applied to the facade walls in accordance with the school's visual communication.
Technical Sheet
Project start year: 2018
Project delivery year: 2021
Architecture: Königsberger Vannucchi
Interiors: Königsberger Vannucchi
Authors and architecture team: Jorge Königsberger, Gianfranco Vannucchi, Liliana Vergamini Luna de Sá and João Paulo Payar (authors); Carla Estrella (Technical Director); Cibele Coletti da Silva (Project Leader); Daniel Ferrer and Claudio Inserra (Design Leaders); Alice Cavalli, Aline Costa, Gabriel Carvalho and Felippe Duca (team).
Location – São Paulo, Brazil
Land area: 3,294.08 m²
Built area: 10,467.52 m²
Photography: Pedro Vannucchi
Development: Patrimônio
Construction: Una Corp
Coordination: Designa Arquitetura
Management: Elo Gerenciadora
Program and pedagogical consultancy: Escola Carandá Vivavida
Landscaping: Archscape
Playful spaces: Barbieri+Gorski
Graphic design for facade: Korá Design
Drainage: Infraestrutura Engenharia
Precast concrete structure: IGA Engenharia
Metal structure: Milênio Fachadas
Foundation: MGA Solos
Electrical and hydraulic installations: Gera Engenharia
Air conditioning: Arplan
Heating: Chaguri
Lighting design: LID Design de Iluminação
Acoustics: Akkerman Alcoragi
Masonry/Sealing: Arco Engenharia
Automation: Studiolo Engenharia
Window frames: P. Martins Engenharia
Industrial kitchen: Estillo Arquitetura
Elevator consultancy: MB Consultoria
Fire safety consultancy: FeuerTec Engenharia
Environmental comfort consultancy: 2MProjetos
Structured flooring: Mix Design
Reservoirs and concrete walls: Mix Design
Precast concrete structure supplier: Protendit
Outdoor furniture: Novidário
