Sustainable & Low-cost School designed by Esperanza Garcia

LAMAK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Designed by Esperanza Garcia 

THE SALAKOT SCHOOL




The Salakot School is a low-cost school made of sustainable and indigenous materials for low-income families based in a municipal Barili, in Cebu Philippines.



SALAKOT SCHOOL NATURAL VENTILATION STRATEGY

An architectural design that promotes cross ventilation, decreases energy use, and appropriate for Philippine tropical weather.

PASSIVE SOLAR

The school design allows natural light to go inside each classroom from two sides of each wall. This decreases energy use within the building.


NATURAL VENTILATION

Cross ventilation happens when cool air from outside enters a building and forces warm air out through an outlet such as a window or door. Due to the tropical climate in the Philippines, natural-ventilation strategies in architectural design is important. Creating cross ventilation in a school brings in oxygen and creates a cooler environment. The design of the school allows natural ventilation in the classroom and interior space of the school.



ALIBATA
Alibata is the ancient script of the Philippines. Alibata is the Filipino writing used before the Spanish colonization, and no longer used today. It is important to re-introduce the writing form back to the Philippine education system. Adorning the classroom walls with the Alibata alphabet will be a reminder for children of their heritage.




LOCAL MATERIALS

ABACA
Abaca, known as Manila hemp, is the strongest natural fiber in the world. It is grown mainly in the Philippines. The furniture designs in the classroom will be made from Abaca fibers.

BAMBOO
Bamboo is the most eco-friendly material in the world, as it is renewable. The Bamboo culm can grow up to one meter in a single night. Fortunately, the Philippines has an abundance of bamboo. Bamboo is flexible, stress-resistant, and an endless regenerative resource, making this resource appropriate to support the architectural structure of the Salakot school. Bamboo flooring will also be used.

RATTAN
Rattan palm vine can grow up to 600 feet long. In the early days, rattan was used for rigging small boats, hauling and bailing as supports for suspension bridges, and for lashing bamboo frameworks of thatched houses. Rattan will be used in the wall designs and furniture of the school.





PLAYPUMP SYSTEM


The PlayPump system is a water pump that provides easy access to clean drinking water, powered by children at play. PlayPump has lead to improvements in health, education, gender equality, and economic development. The interior courtyard of the school will integrate the playpump system. The water feature that surrounds the exterior of the school will benefit the PlayPump system.

"While children have fun spinning on the PlayPump merry-go-round (1), clean water is pumped (2) from underground (3) into a 2,500-liter tank (4), standing seven meters above the ground. A simple tap (5) makes it easy for adults and children to draw water. Excess water is diverted from the storage tank back down into the borehole (6). The water storage tank (7) provides a rare opportunity to advertise in outlaying communities. All four sides of the tank are leased as billboards, with two sides for consumer advertising and the other two sides for health and educational messages. The revenue generated by this unique model pays for pump maintenance."


Link: http://www.playpumps.org

Believe that "GOOD DESIGN WILL SAVE THE WORLD!"