We are pleased to share our proposal for the expansion of the Valle de Piélagos Secondary School in Renedo, Cantabria.

Educational architecture holds a special place in our practice. We approach these projects, largely publicly promoted through architectural competitions, from an economy of means that allows for a rigorous focus on student well-being and sustainability. Each educational project presents unique opportunities to create spaces where young people can thrive, and this competition allowed us to explore these principles within the beautiful rural landscape of northern Spain.

 

Site Strategy

The project called for the construction of a single-story detached classroom building in the southwest area of the site, adding six new classrooms to the existing secondary school.

One primary focus of our proposal was optimizing natural light and solar orientation. The new building is positioned adjacent to the northwest wing of the existing school—the only area unaffected by flood risk. Rather than creating a monolithic volume, we fragmented the design into two offset bars, responding both to the flood zone constraints and to our desire to break away from repetitive classroom programming.

Solar Orientation and Control

Access to the building occurs through the volume itself, on its southern side, further fragmenting the mass. A generous covered porch at the entrance provides a sheltered space for waiting and gathering—transforming a functional necessity into a moment of spatial quality.

The internal circulation corridor serving the classrooms is interrupted and broken by this entrance, avoiding long double-loaded corridors without significantly increasing the building’s footprint. On the east side, we proposed a covered connection to the existing buildings.

By carefully orienting the building southward, the design ensures that the maximum number of classrooms receive abundant southern light and illumination throughout the day. Thoughtfully designed eaves moderate summer heat and control solar radiation through the windows. Deep overhangs protect from rain and from vertical solar radiation when the sun is at its highest, while vertical elements between windows prevent overheating from western sun exposure during afternoon hours.

Energy Performance

The roof surfaces, with their gentle slopes angled southward, integrate photovoltaic panels for on-site energy generation, ensuring that a substantial portion of the school’s electricity demand comes from renewable sources. This solar orientation maximizes energy capture while giving the building its characteristic profile.

The entire proposal adheres to PassivHaus standards. We designed a compact, thermally efficient building with carefully proportioned openings that maximize natural daylight while minimizing heat loss. The planned mechanical systems include forced ventilation with heat recovery and aerothermal technology as the primary system, dramatically reducing heating demand. Radiant floor heating was specified for its optimal health benefits—avoiding air currents and convectors that create thermal variations across classrooms, which can cause discomfort and distraction for students.

Material Strategy

The construction harmonizes concrete and wood, leveraging the inherent qualities of each: strength and durability paired with sustainability, lightness, and construction efficiency.

We selected a mixed structural system that uses each material where it performs best. Concrete walls rise from the foundation to a sufficient height to protect the timber from ground contact. Above this level, a system of timber beams and columns completes the volume. This structure offers multiple advantages: sustainability, construction speed, design flexibility, strength and durability, and reduced structural weight.

The warm materiality of wood, complemented by the gentle slopes of the roof forms, imbues the project with a sense of comfort and belonging within the stunning Cantabrian landscape. These material choices create an educational environment that feels both grounded and light, durable yet inviting—qualities essential for spaces dedicated to learning and growth.