Architects Without Borders

As a member of Architects Without Borders, I provided pro bono design services for a 7,100 SF school in Nicaragua for GOCARE, a non-profit that provides youth and adult education. My co-lead on the project was Brooklyn-based architect Lynn Gaffney, a dear friend of mine from graduate school. The new campus allows GOCARE to expand its core mission to help people move out of extreme poverty through access to education.

The El Madrono campus has seven buildings with four classrooms for children, three classrooms for adults, a computer center, a library, and administrative offices. The buildings surround a central open courtyard. A plaza and amphitheater steps at the front of the building have access to a kitchen in the vocational classroom and can be used for community gatherings or rented for weddings and other occasions.

Our design creates a series of platforms and structures that step up the hillside. A covered arcade links the separate buildings and engages both the courtyard and sheltered outdoor classrooms. The spaces between classroom buildings allow views and ventilation into the courtyard, hold accessible ramps, and are secured with custom wrought iron screens.