Universidad de Monterrey: Preparatoria Unidad Valle Alto

Narratives

Architecture in tune with the school's educational emphasis

The core values of the institution’s educational program energetically emphasizes ecology and respect of the environment. It even calls itself an “Ecological High School”. The school required a building that represented these ecological values and barely modified the original area and habitat. The design allows for student integration into the forest that surrounds the building, with minimal modifications to the physical environment, including the existing trees. The natural and beautiful surroundings can be appreciated from any part of the building. The classrooms are essentially built into the forest. The library’s design includes large windows as well as a central terrace that allows natural light into the facility. Moreover, the library’s roof has been designed as an outside resting area where students enjoy the natural the sight of the trees foliage height. As a result of all this, the learning experiences take place surrounded by the nature of the site, encouraging and promoting ecological programs such as recycling and sustainability.

On the planning and programming process, students and teachers’ representatives were included in the design team in order to help defining certain requirements and to evaluate the arquitectural solutions. The project was also presented to a representative group of collaborators as they were concerned about the construction’s impact upon this heavily forested area, since it is one of the few zones left in the area that is full of trees. The project was successful in that it ended up being approved by each of these entities, exceeding expectations.

Regarding the design process, in order to adapt the building to the surrounding physical and cultural context of the area, natural materials characteristic to the region were used. Stone (similar to that existing in the site) and concrete with rough finishes were used in walls and pavement, achieving an interesting contrast with the more technical elements such as the steel exo-structure and aluminum louvers. The result at the end is quite interesting as the building blends with the natural beauty of the area. Furthermore, the building’s orientation as well as the facades design optimize the use of natural light and reduce the need for artificial ventilation. In addition to this, high-thermal mass materials were used to maximize the insulation properties of the facility. Lastly, part of the library building is partially buried underground improving its thermal insulation.

Creating a new educational surrounding

In a sensitive natural area that at the same time is friendly to the environment and enhances student awareness of nature beauty and the necessity of protecting it, the building design fulfills the goals that UDEM planned since the beginning of the project. Such ideas like building a campus that could prove a possible natural surrounding, combined with the highest technology, and now is giving the first results.

Due to the large space in the classrooms, it has been possible to provide the students with desks and chairs that besides of giving better comfort, make easy the classroom standing dynamics. The design in the Science Laboratory has made possible for the teachers to ensure the highest safety, security and environmental standards that reinforce the student’s commitment with nature. The school is also using sophisticated virtual laboratories for chemistry classes that teach without producing toxic waste. The building itself proves that a High Tech education dos not necessarily harms the environment, on the contrary it helps on its preservation.

Not only the students but also the teachers have been involved in different programs to preserve the nature and experience the benefits of the design which has definitely eased the learning process in different aspects.

All in all, the school helps their students acquire a true respect and sense of caring for the environment, turning this into concrete actions; such as recycling, involving the community in programs to preserve nature and creating in our students a real commitment to learn more about the environment and their role in transforming leaders of our society.

The project responded a specific demand: the need of an educational space that integrated the unique formative model by UDEM with a concept of front line technology in harmony with an ecological concept.

The planning involved not only architects and collaborators, but students and teachers, whose needs were satisfied with specific solutions.

All the areas offer the possibility of enjoying nature. All the classrooms are surrounded by trees, which provide a calmed environment while allowing the use of natural light.

Some student programs have been modified in order to experience classes out of the classroom, taking advantage of the open spaces. The total project is planned to admit no more than 600 students, in order to protect this natural surroundings and allow the interaction between teachers, students and nature with an environment of unity and harmony as an important by-product of the design process that now is becoming a very special characteristic highly valuated by students, parents and teachers.