The new facility replaces an original school which was severely damaged in the 2008 earthquake. The complex is located on a smaller site, accommodating more students, and requires a dormitory. A cluster of small buildings create a series of different urban spaces which reflect local urban scale and pattern. A 10-metre-high colonnade vertically connects space to the west of a ‘spine’ corridor linking classrooms with dormitories. Children add colour and vibrancy to a palette of concrete, timber, bamboo and recycled brick from the earthquake. The design responds to climate through use of sunshades, natural ventilation and heat reduction measures.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture