Dance & Music School

Urban Revitalization Plan

Rio Piedras, PR

The proposal for a Dance and Music School was one of many proposals in an urban development group project that aimed to develop a revitalization plan in downtown Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. As part of our studies we were attempting to refurbish structures and restore abandoned sites in order to reactivate the cultural, institutional and economic functions of the area. In this particular case, the school is a programmatic measure that proposes to keep students out of the streets after school is done for the day, providing them with a constructive environment for learning and leisure. The design of the school bridges the interior and exterior recreation spaces as well as the spaces designated for cultural amenities that could potentially invite volunteers from the community. Since the building amplifies the relation of inside / outside, it provokes curiosity for students to stay off trouble and engage with nature, while they learn the arts and culture of music and dance.

UPR Studio | Fall 2006 Professor: Fernando Abruña, AIA Tools: Adobe CS, AutoCAD SketchUp