ARCHITECTURE RESEARCH STUDIO ARCHITECTURE PEDAGOGY
JAMIA MILIA ISLAMIA
El-Guadual Early Youth
Development Center
Public Interest Design Casestudy
Tanzila Alvi
Hassan Jaseem K M
Villa Rica, Background
• Villa Rica city, in Cocau region of
Colombia has been witnessing conflict
over territory for 60 years
• Extreme poverty
• Lack of governmental presence
• Illicit trades emerged through
surrounding mountains and sea
• For a better future, better youth
generation had to be developed
First Steps
First Lady:
María
Clemencia
Rodríguez
• Villa Rica’s Mayor invites Daniel Feldman and Ivan Múnera
Dario Quinones
• Feldman had reputation of developing soccer centre for
the mission of empowering the homeless in Brazil
• Worked as designers and community liaisons, holding
workshops with representatives of the multiple user
groups
• User groups : children from birth to age five, teens,
mothers, and the city as a whole
• Defined objectives of the youth center
• Site : Former makeshift soccer field
• Design discussion on spaces, materials, dimensions,
and relations with the city Daniel feldman & Ivan Quinones
Objectives
• El Guadual Early Childhood Development Center
• Hope beyond means of war
• Simulating space for kids, that engages them in the decision making
• Introduce livelihood ways for youth
• Emilio Reggia pedagogical model promotes education through play
• Center for the growing cultural zone
“The Reggio Emilia Approach is an educational philosophy based on the
image of the child, and of human beings, as possessing strong potentials
for development and as a subject of rights who learns and grows in the
relationships with others.” (reggiochildren.it)
“We wanted to create a space where they feel safe yet challenged, a
space that gives them tools to educate themselves and fosters the idea
of the individual through decision making.” Feldman
Construction
• The construction lasted 9 months
• The total project cost was US$1.6 Million
• Funding; International coperations, private
donations, public resources etc.
• more than 60 local builders were employed
• Made of reinforced concrete cast in split
bamboo technique
• Exposed bamboo screens, rafters, and
ceilings
• Interior walls and floors are polished concrete
• In the infant rooms vinyl floors used for
comfortable crawling
• Movable furniture are used
• The palette of bamboo and concrete create a
neutral setting for inhabitants’ decorative
contributions
• The fence capped with recycled bottles were
collected and installed by the educators
Environment responsive
• Example of Low Tech Environment construction
• Made of reinforced concrete cast in split bamboo
• The use of bamboo as a way of re-valuing local traditions
• also preservation of riverbeds.
• The textured concrete walls absorb heat keeping the spaces cool
• the multi-layered roof controls the impact of the sun inside the
rooms.
• The spaces all receive natural light throughout the days and are
ventilated naturally allowing the centre to work without the need of
energy
• Classrooms have rainwater collection
facilities for gardening and
maintenance
• Process of collection and utilization is
educational for the kids and visitors
• The central water feature
recirculates the water it uses and
allows kids to interact with water as a
recreational element (a community
recommendation)
Design Conception
Design
16145sqft
centre
Supporting
300 children
Design • Paired classrooms
• Connected through
bridges, slides, stairs
• Engaging decision
making through
architecture
CLASSROOMS
Design
SLEEPING
ROOM
Design
KITCHEN &
DINING
Design
CINEMA
GALLERY
Design
TOYS ROOM
Design
CLASSROOM/
STAGE
Design
FERTILE LAND
Design
KIDS’ PLAY AREA
Design Conception
KITCHEN & DINING
SLEEPING
CINEMA ROOM CLASSROOMS
GALLERY
KIDS’ PLAY
AREA
TOYS ROOM
FERTILE LAND
CLASSROOM/
STAGE
Urban, Community, National Impact
• 30 local women were trained in early youth educator before being
certified and hired to become the daily workforce of the centre
• The local builders who were employed were certified in construction
techniques
• food, education, and recreation services to 300 kids of 0-5 years old,
100 pregnant mothers, and 200 new-borns
• part of national integral early youth attention strategy "de Cero a
Siempre“ (from beginning to forever)
• Slowly transforming into a new city center where education, arts,
and multi-generational gatherings are taking place, where the care
for the youth is a communal responsibility
