The project is informed by two significant qualities of the site: firstly the sense of ‘enclosure’ generated by the surrounding landscape and rural settlements, and secondly the existing sloping terrain.
To create an environment with a sense of ‘enclosure’ and ‘protection’ was seen as an appropriate gesture for an Elementary School, and it therefore became a primary objective of the project. Monasteries of the Cypriot hinterland were used as typological references, i.e. the Agios Iraklidios monastery in the Nicosia district.
A secondary aim was to engage with and benefit from the sloping terrain. This was achieved in a twofold manner. Firstly, regarding the organization of the plot, the main building is placed on the higher part (south), while the sports fields are located to the lower part (north). Secondly, the sloping terrain became part of the building’s architecture. The School is broken down in different autonomous parts which are scattered on the existing topography, forming the perimeter of a courtyard. By maintaining the existing slope, the courtyard becomes an amphitheatrical space, continuous to the surrounding terrain. A shell-shaped balcony on the first floor links the different parts of the building, while it further enhances the feeling of ‘enclosure’.
The Multipurpose Hall is the focal point of the courtyard. The Hall’s stage can support performances towards the courtyard, transforming the whole building into an amphitheatre, with the active participation of all it parts.