FELIZA BURSZTYN SCHOOL
We envision a continuous, curvilinear public space, conceived as an extension of the surrounding contemplative paths to connect two parks. Its form is designed to establish this connection. The project is driven by two clear factors. On one hand, it must relate to two neighbourhood-scale parks and remain partially open to offer services to the community. On the other hand, it must house a school programme, providing the necessary privacy and security for the students.
Connecting with its surroundings, the proposal draws inspiration from the typology of 15th-century public buildings: a colonnade that provides permeability on the ground floor while safeguarding privacy on the upper levels. Under this logic, public uses are concentrated in a tower on the northern corner next to a plaza, with corridors and staircases oriented towards the park. These wide corridors are designed for interaction, functioning simultaneously as lounge areas and meeting points that form continuous ribbons, ultimately culminating in a terrace with unobstructed views of Bogotá’s Eastern Hills (Cerros Orientales).
At an urban scale, the project follows two significant principles: consolidating connecting urban space. The site is located at a strategic pedestrian intersection. In response, a linear architectural block is proposed to act as a boundary against the openness of the park, opening westward towards nature and eastward towards the neighbourhood.
This layout enables the continuity of public space by linking two small access plazas — an eastern one from the neighbourhood and a western one facing the park. Additionally, in the public space facing the corner, a covered plaza serves as an entrance threshold to the school and a direct connection to the park.
Finally, the architecture is structured around the criteria of use hierarchy and permeability. The academic component — housing classrooms, laboratories, and administrative areas — is contained within a block spanning from the second to the fifth floor, ensuring a suitable learning environment.
Meanwhile, an open community space is located at the base of this block. This design, flexible and adaptable to modern educational needs, allows the base to function as a cultural and social centre that hosts events, promoting creativity in areas such as art and music.
Thus, on the ground floor, the project opens up to create a threshold towards the landscape, where a multipurpose space is strategically arranged to allow visual and physical permeability from the neighbourhood to the park, thereby strengthening collaboration and a sense of belonging.
