Create shade in the patio with recycled materials

BarcelonaJust as schools teach students about the inside of the human body or how the oceans are formed, there's no reason why students shouldn't know how to read a house plan and its solar orientation. Or even how it's built and what materials can be used. Partly following this philosophy, schools like the Escola Rius i Taulet, located in Barcelona's Gràcia neighborhood and part of the Magnet project, have decided to focus on architecture as a cross-cutting theme in their teaching. One of the first projects carried out in this program, which is expected to last four years, is a construction workshop using inexpensive materials such as bamboo, recycled wood, and cardboard. The goal? To make students aware of the importance of materials and respect for the environment, actively participating in the handling and creation of their buildings.

The workshop in question, which took place on June 12, was led by students from the Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB) in the low-cost technologies course. Students from grades 13 to 6 worked with recycled and natural materials in the schoolyard. Also present was Sandra Bestraten, president of the Barcelona branch of the College of Architects of Catalonia (COAC) and professor of the architecture students teaching the workshop.

"The exercise consisted of making shadows in the schoolyard using different materials with limited resources, without having to spend money, such as cardboard boxes and tubes, reeds from the riverbank, wicker, or recycled wood from pallets," explains Bestraten. From there, the students first learned with plans and small models, which they gradually made larger until they could practically fit inside. "When they were able to enter the interior of the model, they were able to understand and experience the concept of perceptions firsthand," continues the COAC president.

Learning in an immersive way

During the workshop, they also worked extensively on geometry and the different options for joining pieces in ingenious ways: joining reeds with padel balls or hose remnants. "It's about learning to build in the easiest and simplest way possible," notes Bestraten, who was able to observe how students of very different ages were able to successfully complete all the steps. "Creativity is learned by experimenting, not by sitting in a chair listening, and this is important in all professions," continues the teacher. For her, the workshops should be as immersive and experimental as possible: "It's the way to learn to solve problems and incorporate more solutions and variables into what emerges."

For her part, Nieves Larraz, director of the Rius i Taulet School, was very satisfied with the outcome of the workshop: "The children really enjoyed it because they are not used to working with reusable and low-cost materials like reeds or cardboard, and that stimulated their imagination." All of this without forgetting that the day also addressed issues such as reuse, respect for the environment, sustainable education, and participation and collaboration among all. "I would like to do it again next year and have families participate as well," she concludes.

The Rius i Taulet School launched this project to promote architecture in partnership with the College of Architects of Catalonia (COAC) this academic year, which is now ending. The school is part of the Magnet program, alliances for educational success, which brings together 47 educational centers throughout Catalonia. A total of 10,000 primary and secondary school students have participated in architecture workshops thanks to the program. Architecture in the Classrooms from the COAC.