Building Education: Creating a Flexible Model For Sustainably Developing Communities In Latin America

Abstract

Latin America has a deep-rooted history with issues of poverty. Education is a vital part of the solution. Education and increased literacy can help communities break away from a cycle of poverty by opening doors and creating opportunities for independence. Many impoverished countries in Latin America rely on the cultivation of primary products to sustain their economies. Unfortunately, the high number of illiterate and untrained laborers in these parts of the world halts their progress. These are recurring issues in many underdeveloped countries. Rural communities tend to be deprived of resources and this leads to an exodus of the young as they are looking for opportunities for growth. They leave their villages and don’t always come back having completed a full education. This thesis intends to create a model for an educational facility that can be applied to multiple contexts, with an effort to empower communities through providing education for children to achieve their full potential, and for agricultural workers to heighten their knowledge about the trades that affect their livelihoods directly Research will explore modular design as a means to cater to the diverse contexts with a changing demand and whether a possible model can be self-sustaining. It will also explore how a building can bring a community together. Could a deployable model be effective cross culturally? Can flexible design help mobilize a struggling community? How to create an environment that can be conducive to learning?