All Around Classroom
“Illiteracy is the disease of populations” – João de Deus Ramos (1878 – 1953)
João de Deus Ramos, Portuguese lecturer and convict follower of the “Escola Nova” movement focused his work on passing his father’s, poet João de Deus, pedagogical method the “Cartilha Maternal”.
Cartilha Maternal was taken as universal and to forestall social differences. In João de Deus decade illiteracy was a major problem covering 80% of the population. The new method proposed a set of 90 lectures to teach young and old to read and write; its implementation in schools (in 1882) proved to be successful, persisting until now, being taught in more than 31 educational centers and 21 schools spread over Portugal.
“These educational centers focus the Humanity ideals, treat all individuals as equals, cheer the most profound and respectful love and rights for the children. Aim to diminish the illiteracy that haunts the human being”. – In João de Deus Kinder gardens schools.
Since then, schools have been built forth seeing the environmental society and the child as one, giving everyone access to knowledge. The João de Deus Schools practice this educational premise of educating all without regard to their social status or their beliefs; it continues today and makes the schools João de Deus a pillar of great importance to the educational history of our country.
In 2002 the program “Ludotecas” initiate. Resembling the mobile schools in 1882, aims to educate those who cannot access school, thereby losing the fundamental bases for their growth.
This type of exclusion is serious and potentiates dangerous consequences. It’s multi-dimensional and is expressed in the cultural and social environment. “Ludotecas” seek to be a motor to avoid this type of exclusion by facilitating integration into society, not only by acquiring skills and knowledge but also social values.
Currently the activities of “Ludotecas” João de Deus occur in two tourist caravans, that every day come to social areas in the outskirts of Lisbon, remain there during the day and return to school in the evening. They provide lunch and snacks as well as allow the participation of the whole family in activities. Children do not have a time of arrival or departure since the demand of “Ludotecas” is to be a "lighthouse" where the child can go to learn and play.
Aggregated to “Ludotecas” there are a set of activities and initiatives aimed to improve the social life and personal hygiene of each child.
“Ludotecas” program sounded so interesting that we decided to take it to a better level, creating a project to improve their facilities. This intervention aims above all the mobility, ease of construction and transportation.
Another key concern is the creation of an educational space without specific location, an universal room that can function both in the city and in a rural area, fitting all types of communities, to a square in a European capital to a village in an Indian city surround area. This concept suits the original spirit of the institution and its founder.
Using these assumptions we’ve chosen recyclable, cheap and easy assembly materials. Reuse of the structure of a cargo container, which nowadays is a nomad common object of our cities that can be bought second hand at a very low price. This pre-fabricated object has the necessary dimensions to design a classroom.
Base dimensions are 2.50 m x 6.00 m x 2.50 m allowing the organization of a classroom for fifteen children. The classroom can be transformed into a workshop area increasing the usage to twenty children.
Cargo containers are made of iron being the main concern thermal comfort inside the room, therefore the choice of all materials was based on the need for thermal isolation. The interior would be completely insulated with polyurethane foam (a similar material to the one used in refrigerated chambers) covered by OSB - Oriented Strand Board sheets (a fully recycled material made from scraps of wood) finishing the isolation and interior walls design. Outside the container is under a sunscreen which keeps it under the shade throughout the day. The sun sunscreen position also forces the wind movement leading to cooling of the structure.
To join the classroom module, we created four additional modules, all with the same dimensions as the first. These would function as other important facilities in a school such as a library, a garden and an arts laboratory, always complemented with toilets facilities. The possibility of choice of an extra module to use concedes “Ludoteca” to integrate in the visited location, facilitating the interaction with that community. These extra facilities were chosen based on the needs of users of this space, the children. When all brought together a small portable school is assembled.
Another use would be to complete a normal school in order to address common needs.
The ease construction and mobility of these small schools can take education throughout the world. African, South American and Asian countries, with this project have the possibility to fight illiteracy and to build up better and happier societies.
