Learning curve

Intelligently merging functionality with aesthetics, this Brutalist-inspired Spanish playschool has us ready to head back to kindergarten.

Architect Jose Martí from R Studio has designed a one-storey school that shelters its clients from the surrounding high-speed roads by using a cement structure that is anything but cold.

With a remarkable height, the epicentre of the building is an inner court, used for play and learning. This inner courtyard brings intimacy and a sense of security to the space while the circular motif throughout the structure emphasises the sense of play and movement around the school environment.

The architects have used the flat ground wisely, creating a floor plan that is split into three different zones. With unique stylistic and architectural materials, these zones are further differentiated through their functions.

Concrete walls extend from the inside to the outside forming a winding path along the perimeter of the grounds. The interior glass facades allow for uninterrupted views of the yard, while snatches of the colourful interior can be stolen through the exterior steel fence.

Although simple in its construction technique, the double circulation of interior and exterior spaces allows for cross-ventilation between classrooms, taking advantage of the warm Spanish climate.

More information: http://rstudio.es/en/