The Copalita School and Civic Centre is the first public Infrastructure in this rural comunituy near Huatulco, Oaxaca's Pacific Ocean resort. It is part of a regional strategy that brings a balance with the tourist developments. This earth architecture approach is also an ambitious statment which gives identity to the place.

The project orchestrates a low cost technology solution in the hot weather enviroment. It combines natual light and ventilation eliminating the use of glass...
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The Copalita School and Civic Centre is the first public Infrastructure in this rural comunituy near Huatulco, Oaxaca's Pacific Ocean resort. It is part of a regional strategy that brings a balance with the tourist developments. This earth architecture approach is also an ambitious statment which gives identity to the place.

The project orchestrates a low cost technology solution in the hot weather enviroment. It combines natual light and ventilation eliminating the use of glass on windows and using heavy earth walls and ceramic lattice as a cross ventilation atmosphere solution.

Externally, the school is develoved around an existing natural garden where there was a basketball course and the comunity temporary chapel. The kinder garden and Primary school buildings confine the existing trees creating recreational Patios. The new space unites the school with the new open chapel.


Traditionaly the open chapel has made an important role in this society and not surprising one of the existing buildings was the Chapel. The new building rises on the same place an with the same spatial spirit. The new Open Chapel articulates the far corner of the Civic Center through the new promenade with the school.

Some of the key buildings on the fisrt stage of the project are the teachers room which works as a library on the school area. The water container is placed in the main access to give an urban reference.

On the next construction stage the buildings will shelter the milk shop, the Nixtamal shop (traditional cooked and grinded corn) and a Public room. the People of Copalita officially opened the buildings during past Easter. Today the school has 20 students.
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