Play-in, Kindergarden in Bolivia
School Extension and Renovation
In Santa Cruz, Bolivia, poverty and the lack of educational facilities are among the most urgent local issues. This project, developed for an international competition, proposes a community daycare and learning center that offers a safe environment for children and economic opportunities for parents.
Working with limited budgets and construction resources, the design employs low-tech, locally buildable systems that encourage resident participation and ensure long-term maintenance.
Located within the existing Fatima school grounds, the site contained two unused buildings and a sports hall. The challenge was to unite fragmented spaces into one coherent complex for 500 students. The project follows two main strategies — 'insertion' and 'connection':
- A mezzanine insertion expands the northwest building, improving light and ventilation. - A new three-story connector links the two buildings, forming a continuous circulation loop and social hub.
Through minimal yet precise interventions, the project revives the potential of the existing structures, presenting a sustainable, community-driven model of renovation for resource-limited contexts.
