“Transferable and innovative strengths” – Holcim Awards Jury

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    Project entry 2008 Asia Pacific - "Low-cost low-maintenance school extension, Bangalore, India": Proposed extension block.

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    Holcim Awards Acknowledgement prize 2008 Asia Pacific for "Low-cost low-maintenance school extension, Bangalore, India" (l-r): Georg Konrad Leuzinger, architect/main author, L&S Architects, Bangalore, India; Rajai Saveri, architect, L&S Architects, Bangalore, India and Sree Ram Sambukumar, engineer, Bangalore, India.

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    Holcim Awards Acknowledgement prize 2008 Asia Pacific for "Low-cost low-maintenance school extension, Bangalore, India": (l-r) Rajai Saveri, Georg Konrad Leuzinger, Sree Ram Sambukumar, and jury member Zeenat Niazi.

This small school extension project in Tanisandra, Bengaluru/Bangalore, India, shows in a convincing manner how local and robust materials and technologies can lead to an outstanding result, i.e.: a cost effective, durable, functionally sound and aesthetically rewarding as well as environmentally-compatible school building. The project was initiated by the local population and then managed by the community officials.

Last updated: June 05, 2008 Shanghai, China

Such initiatives are of vital importance because public buildings in emerging countries are particularly prone to suffer from a lack of care and poor maintenance, and are therefore amongst the most neglected buildings. Fast deterioration of such structures does not only cause economic threats but leads also to severe institutional and social damages. The easily transferable and innovative strengths of this project are the convincing demonstration of low embodied (grey) energy, carefully engineered natural stone foundations and rammed earth walls for the building, a systematic integration of a closed water and waste cycles and in addition generating a new visual identity to the previously rather dull school compound.