Proceeds from GEM&BOLT’s 2018 Day of the Dead Celebration benefited the construction of a library within a new adobe school in the Oaxacan town of San Agustin de Etla. The initiative was spearheaded by Amigos del IAGO and social impact architecture firm RootStudio, under the direction of Joao Boto Caeiro.
A New School in SAN AGUSTIN DE ETLA
Scheduled for completion in 2022, the traditional adobe school will accommodate approximately 700-800 high school students in an area that currently lacks sufficient educational facilities for this age group. In fall 2019, 120 students will matriculate at the first completed structure of the larger build.
Joao Boto Caeiro in the library window, San Agustin de Etla
Built upon a hilltop overlooking vast mountain vistas, the traditional structure continues to rise, with every brick hand-mixed, pressed and dried under the sun on-site. In dry climates like Mexico, adobe structures are extremely durable and account for some of the oldest existing buildings in the world. For the new school in San Augstin de Etla, architectural innovation and careful engineering promise an earthquake-safe structure. The school’s adobe design elements include a solid stone foundation, steel beam infrastructure and wooden rooftop underlying traditional clay roof tiles.
Architecturally speaking, adobe designs leverage earth itself as a key building material & element. Adobe, by distinction, is one of many earthen techniques that combines organic fiber (e.g., straw or agave fiber) with water to shape bricks, hardened and dried by the sun. Adobe also offers incredible thermal insulation
One of the many beautiful things about adobe is the way in which it unites people and communities. I love working with communities. Sharing and learning together is empowering. When you build adobe, people come out of the woodwork and everyone has a role and something to contribute.
Joao Boto Caeiro | Lead Architect, RootStudio
I like to move through a space and not necessarily know that an architect had been there. We build with what we have. If we didn’t have earth, it would be something else. Conveniently, it’s strong, beautiful and it’s all around us. I really think of architecture as a form of storytelling. We are keepers of stories and we are here to share them. In the case of adobe, this is infinitely apparent.
Joao Boto Caeiro | Lead Architect, RootStudio
GEM&BOLT applauds & supports Rootstudio and Amigos del IAGO’s collective vision in bringing this new school to life. We are grateful and honored to contribute to this project. For those in attendance of GEM&BOLT’s 2018 Day of the Dead celebration, we, the community of Etla, and its new students THANK YOU for your contributions.
Learn More
Follow @_RootStudio, IAGO and Amigos Del
Join The Cause
Interested in joining the cause? GEM&BOLT actively encourages further donations to help our project reach completion. If you wish to donate or get involved, please contact us at [email protected].
