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CIRC ROBINSON CRUSOE INSULAR SCHOOL
2025

Public Competition. Second Prize

 

Architects: Santiago Valdivieso - Pablo Rojas Böttner - Diego Miranda + MasFernandez Architects
Location: Juan Fernandez Island, Chile

Structural Engineering: Jose Andrés Allende
Collaborators: Javier Ochoa, Maria Jesus Lagios, Catalina Briones, Javier Muñoz, Carlos Fuentes, Ivonne Espinoza, Katalina Llanos. Leonardo Liñan (images)

Lightweight and reversible architecture for education in a critical isolated ecosystem.
 

The design for the Colegio Insular Robinson Crusoe responds to the critical conditions of building in a remote World Biosphere Reserve. Every element is conceived to arrive, serve and eventually leave without leaving a permanent trace. The project employs a prefabricated, modular system mounted on screw foundations that touch the ground lightly, preserving the natural terrain and its ecology.

 

Given the high cost and logistical complexity of transporting materials across the ocean, the building is designed to be exceptionally lightweight, optimizing structural efficiency and reducing volume without compromising durability. The elevated frames provide ventilation and protection from ground moisture, while the modular system ensures full reversibility and adaptability over time.

 

Beyond its educational role, the school is envisioned as a shared civic space, open to the island community. Architecture here is not only a tool for learning, but an active participant in the fragile ecosystem of the archipelago, balancing resilience, cultural continuity and environmental responsibility.

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