The Ciales Kindergarten, designed by TORO Arquitectos, addresses the urgent need for educational services in the area. The complex is divided into two main areas: the existing building, which houses offices, and the new building with a panoptic design that facilitates child supervision and outdoor circulation through eaves that provide protection from the sun and rain in this tropical climate.
The disc-shaped structure, segmented into twelve equal parts, promotes natural ventilation. Constructed of exposed concrete, it lends solidity to the complex while opening up to the landscape, creating a dialogue between architecture and nature in this circular design that surrounds a central courtyard with an outdoor play area.
Ciales Kindergarten by TORO Arquitectos. Photograph by Paola Quevedo Santos.
Project description by TORO Arquitectos
Situated on a scenic promontory in Ciales, Puerto Rico, this project represents the transformation of a former funeral home into a dynamic, community-centered space.
The Ciales Kindergarten will fill an immediate need for early childhood education in Ciales and surrounding municipalities in central Puerto Rico. Forty-eight children will benefit from this new facility.
Aside from this, it will provide employment for teachers, directors and support staff. The client will relocate their Puerto Rico offices from the more remote municipality of Utuado to this new, easily accessible facility.
Site
The site, perched above the Manatí River valley and nestled beneath the towering cliffs of the karst region, offers a striking view of the natural landscape.
Located just north of the town of Ciales along PR Route 149, the area is known for its lush terrain and dramatic topography, which have served as a key influence in the design of the new pre-school and office spaces.
Existing conditions
The existing structure, a former funeral home of no architectural significance, was repurposed to accommodate office spaces. We stripped all superficial decorative motifs from the existing building to intensify its condition of “background building” allowing the new school to become the protagonist.
Design strategy
Given the challenging site conditions, we quickly realized that the new pre-school needed to be an emblematic building, one that responded to the near 360-degree views and possessed the strength to overshadow the existing, unremarkable building on the site.
To achieve this, we conceived the new pre-school as a panoptic, disc-like structure in exposed concrete. The building is divided into twelve equal segments, with a central playground that serves as a secure and open space for toddlers.
This design strategy not only responds to the site's natural beauty but also fosters a safe, engaging, and functional environment for the children and staff alike.
The new building is strategically aligned along a lateral axis of the existing structure.
The irony of a funeral home's site becoming an early childhood development center was ever-present throughout the design process. As we decided on a circular scheme to distinguish the school from the existing building, creating a dialogue between the two, we realized that the circular form had, inadvertently, become a metaphor for the cycle of life.
Preschool floor plan
This courtyard allows caretakers and teachers to maintain sightlines throughout the school, ensuring easy supervision from any angle. Taking advantage of Puerto Rico's climate, the circulation is exterior. The large overhangs provide rain protection and shade, minimizing the need for air conditioning.
