Contemporary educational architecture has moved away from replicating closed buildings that resemble prisons or hospitals more than environments designed to foster the academic development of younger generations. Whether a university, high school, elementary school, or preschool, educational infrastructure must encourage free and creative thinking, moving past the obsolete notion that students should be trained like soldiers who cannot question authority. This is where the architecture of these spaces plays a leading role, serving as the setting where students spend a significant portion of their lives.
In the heart of the southern Ecuadorian Andes, near the city of Cuenca—a UNESCO World Cultural Capital—PPAG Architects is building the Stiehle German School, having won the invited competition.
Official project description. What does a school in the 21st century look like in the midst of a transition to a knowledge-based society? In a rural area of Ecuador, at an altitude of 2,600 meters (8,530 feet) on a slope with a 56-meter drop, this climate-friendly, 21st-century school is both open and unique. We do not know today how we will learn tomorrow; therefore, everything imaginable should be possible. We want to build in the region in a sensible way, yet to international standards—high-tech and low-tech, new and old at the same time.
Working with the topography.
The site’s spatial feel is preserved as much as possible, with the slope of the property embraced as an opportunity to design an exciting sequence of classrooms, terraces, and views. Every room enjoys prime views of the valley toward Cuenca while having direct access to open space.
A completely non-hierarchical system: a democratic space representing equal opportunities for all children.
The relational space centers on how the areas are lived in and used, as well as the effects of overlapping functions. Shortcuts are used by everyone—children and educators alike. The result is real-life communication! The school’s identity and strong presence stem from the spirit of this community.
The land as a resource: using water, energy, and soil. Like the building itself, the site is both a teaching material and a teaching tool.
Earthwork is minimized, with excavated soil reused on site. Only classrooms, specialized subject rooms, and offices have thermal envelopes. Everything else, including the learning landscapes, consists of sheltered and covered outdoor spaces. Low roofs over classrooms and higher connecting areas protect against rain and sun, bring light deep into the interiors, and facilitate natural ventilation. Unwanted sunlight is filtered by curtains, while rainwater is managed by "communicating" roofs. The climatic potential is maximized, making it possible to design an outdoor school for all weather conditions. Only areas requiring quiet and enclosure, such as the core group classrooms, are housed in closed spaces (with doors and windows). The "learning landscape" areas are covered outdoor terraces, which also reduces the overall building volume. The clustered spaces often span multiple levels: on one hand, the classrooms belong to a specific cluster; on the other, the learning environment is distributed across various interactive levels.
‘Slopescraper’ not Skyscraper - skyscraper on the slope
From Top to Bottom: The School Path
The school path guides the flow of movement, winding from top to bottom. It structures the property and defines the location of each function. It provides barrier-free access across the site and is wheelchair-accessible with a maximum gradient of 10%. During school holidays, it also serves as a service route for facilities management (cleaning, waste disposal, and deliveries).
The school path is shaped by the activities along it: near the daycare, there is a mud and sand play area; passing by the music room, you might hear a familiar song; further down, the path widens into a table tennis area, and so on.
Steeper direct paths connect the switchbacks of the main route. For example, along the northern boundary of the site, a shortcut connects several pedagogical areas.
There are also hidden paths, such as those between two double clusters, offering a seamless way through more private zones.
Rather than acting as a barrier, the school's circulation path connects different uses. It acts as a social bond, shaped in individual sections by the adjacent user groups, encouraging interaction among them.
Fragments of elements, levels, retaining walls, rain - there is much to think about and continue building - thinking upon completing the space: "This will be my submarine!"
The individual functions are logically organized along the downhill school path.
The school path winding downhill is linked to a tight network of walkways by numerous shortcuts:
At the top, on Vía Paccha, is the prominent main entrance with the Dedicated Hall and the Stiehle Museum. Directly behind it lies the creative area. The public administration offices are also easily accessible here. Gate 2 allows parents of the youngest children (kindergarten and preschool) to drop them off directly at the kindergarten area, with designated parking spaces provided. Older students can also enter from this point. Parking for teachers, visitors, and athletes is located along the northern boundary of the property.
The access road from the neighboring property, beyond Gate 1, opens up the site further, leading directly to the entry area between the kindergarten, the elementary school, and the Central Plaza. Here, school buses pick up and drop off children, with space designed for waiting. The parking spaces located here can accommodate larger extracurricular events.
In general, the sports sector is strategically placed for easy street access and is well-served by parking. Additionally, numerous small, decentralized sports areas are scattered throughout the property.
The kindergarten features a long, flat stretch between its two areas. Below this lies the lower secondary school (Middle School) and, finally, shielded from noise, is the upper secondary school (High School).
This marks the end of the school path. For now, connections to existing roads would be a welcome addition but are not strictly necessary. Throughout the project, visual and physical connections abound: from the elementary and secondary classrooms to the outdoors, and from the elementary and especially high school areas to the science and technology space, fostering collaboration between individual school levels. A sense of order is reflected in many details: changes in flooring with different tile patterns delineate distinct areas.
Project: First prize in invited competition
Location: Cuenca, Ecuador
Project Team: Anna Popelka, Georg Poduschka, Jakub Dvorak, Valerie Assmus, Maximilian Bertl
This article was written by Santiago Baraya. The translation is powered by AI.
