Omar Harb

advisor

USEK - Holy spirit University of Kaslik

Lebanon

As an architect and founder of Omar Harb Architects & Associates, my work centers on creating… more

This project by Matias Ezequiel Bazán Valladares and his team is an exceptionally well-conceived architectural proposal. Its primary strength lies in a deep, context-sensitive approach that transcends a standard building design to create a broader territorial and social intervention. The project successfully marries an innovative design with a profound respect for local culture and materials.

Strengths:

Revalorization of Vernacular Knowledge: The central concept of the Insaka is a powerful organizing principle. It's not just a formal nod to tradition but a deeply integrated design element that informs the entire project's spatial logic. By reinterpreting a communal structure, the project creates an architecture that is inherently about gathering, dialogue, and community—perfectly suited for an educational environment.

Holistic Urban Strategy: The project's vision extends far beyond the school itself. By establishing a territorial corridor that connects the railway station, the secondary school, and the primary school, it addresses urban-scale issues and positions the school as a key hub within the community's broader social and infrastructural network.

Contextual and Organic Design: The design's reference to neural networks and irregular settlement patterns is a sophisticated way of generating a site plan that feels both organized and organic. The curved central axis creates a dynamic flow, avoiding the rigid, sterile layouts often found in institutional architecture.

Sustainable and Community-Oriented Construction: The commitment to using local materials like bamboo and compressed earth blocks (ICEBs) is commendable. This approach not only ensures a low environmental footprint but also actively involves local labor and traditional techniques, strengthening the project's ties to the community and its economy.

While the project's conceptual and strategic foundations are solid, a few areas could be developed to provide more concrete detail and strengthen the project's narrative and technical execution.

1. Explicitly Articulate the "Insaka" in Architectural Detail

Suggestion: The project describes the Insaka as an "architectural typology" and "organizing principle" but doesn't explain how it's physically manifested beyond being a "communal structure."

Improvement: Provide specific architectural diagrams or renderings that show how the Insaka is reinterpreted. For instance, is it a series of open-air pavilions? Are they integrated into the classroom blocks as courtyards or covered common areas? Showing how these "nodes" are physically differentiated from other spaces and how their design facilitates specific activities (e.g., cooking, group work, informal teaching) would make the central concept far more tangible and convincing.

2. Develop the "Territorial Corridor" from a User's Perspective

Suggestion: The project establishes a broad urban strategy but lacks detail on what this "corridor" looks and feels like for a student or resident.

Improvement: Elaborate on the design elements of the corridor itself. Does it feature landscaping, public art, or a specific paving material that distinguishes it from the surrounding urban fabric? How does the design ensure it is safe, accessible, and inviting for pedestrians and cyclists? Providing a sequence of images or a plan showing the transition from the railway station to the school would strengthen the urban-scale intervention's narrative.

3. Provide More Technical Detail on the Materiality

Suggestion: The use of ICEBs is mentioned, along with their dimensions and a brief description of the wall systems.

Improvement: To fully showcase the sustainability and technical ingenuity, provide more specific details. How do the ICEB walls manage thermal performance in Tucumán's specific climate? Are there passive cooling or heating strategies integrated into the wall design? What are the specific joinery details for combining bamboo and compressed earth? Adding a technical detail drawing of a typical wall section or a joint would demonstrate a deeper level of design maturity.

4. Strengthen the Connection between the "Neural Network" and Programmatic Distribution

Suggestion: The site plan is described as being "structured along a central axis" with a neural network-inspired irregularity.

Improvement: Clarify how this irregular, decentralized pattern directly influences the placement of different functions within the school. For example, are the academic clusters placed in "synaptic" nodes, while the communal Insaka spaces are located at the "network hubs"? A diagram overlaying the conceptual "neural network" onto the school's floor plan would make this elegant design logic explicit.