Bridging the gap between street and classroom: Care & Learning Center for street kids in Brazil

 

Street children are minors who live and survive on the streets. They often grow up in public landfills, train stations, or under the bridges of the world’s major cities. These children don’t want to or can’t return home, due to conflicts/conditions at their homes or with their families. The phenomenon of street children is multifaceted and the reasons vary to a great extent. 

According to UNICEF,  worldwide there are at least 100 million children living on the streets. Across the world, the reasons for which they live on the streets may vary. Majorly regarded as an urban phenomenon it is caused due to rapid urbanization and constant change in the cost of living.

Poverty plays a major role in this, while displacement due to natural calamities are also high. Sometimes economic crises, abuse, parental death, or neglect cause these children to end up on the streets. 

Considering the complexity of this phenomenon, how can it be addressed at its roots?

Poverty - homelessness - Lack of job - homeless; this cycle is majorly observed to be common across the world, as the major reason is poverty. In order to address this, and break the loop that is created; there is a subsequent need to empower the children. Empowerment of these children can only be done through education and skills, which in turn will enable them to a better living. 

But, as observed, the majority of these children don't respond well to formal education, as they are working to suffice their survival needs. Due to which a high number of children don't enter such programs and are most focused on meeting their daily needs. Acknowledging this concern, it is observed that these children due to their condition and environmental effect find it hard to transition directly from the streets into the classroom. 

With this concern, how can architecture help them in transitioning towards education? What solutions will aid this process of reform and rehabilitation?

What kind of space design will help bridge the gap between the street and the classroom?

How can the architecture of a reformative space help in the rehabilitation of its users?

How can the use of child-centric design help in creating a sustainable solution to this issue?

Brief: The aim of this challenge was to design a transition/care and learning center for the street kids, which will act as a multidimensional space; as a place of reformation, care, and learning space. 

The challenge was to address the issue through an innovative architectural thought which will help in generating a space that can be considered as a ‘Transitional Space’ for these children. 

The jury for the competition consisted of esteemed designers, professionals, and academicians from around the world. The Lead Jurors for the competitions were as follows: 

Stephan Birk & Liza Heilmeyer, Founding Partners, Birk Heilmeyer und Frenzel Architekten, Germany

Shogo Kawata, Representative of teamLab Architects, teamLab Architects, Japan

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Some of the Best competition projects are as follows:

 

Winning Project: INCLUSION GAP

By: Yunyao Jiang & Kusa Chen

^{Fig: 1 Cover image}

Description: To build a help center for street children, we started from analyze the mental problem of street children. Most street children had trust problems caused by physical and mental violence. So we decided to design a trust-build help center to help street children rebuild the trust link between society and themselves.

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People’s Choice: Parque Vila Velha For Children

By: Zahra Shojaee, Mehdi Khakzand & Mohadeseh Hamid

^{Fig: 2 Cover image}

Description: “Parque Vila Velha” For Children A place for Child labor The design objective was to create an environment for living and learning so that these children's educational concerns could be solved. The streets are unsafe for the children, and working in these spaces would bring them many challenges and damages. Therefore, some solutions should have been pro

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Editor’s Choice: Escape

By: kadir kucuk

^{Fig: 3 Section and site plan}

Description: a rescue adventure for Brazilian kids. Brazil was one of the richest countries in the world, but Lucas and Bianca's family were poor people who could not reach this wealth. With this father’s dismissal, they both had to stop going to school. They had to work that’s were their story began… 

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Editor’s Choice: Cave house

By: MING YANG

^{Fig: 1 Exploded design, Interior and Exterior view}

Description: With the arch as an element, it provides a sheltered space for street children to stay and study. This is not only a learning space for street children but also their playground, their home. Here they can stay away from violence and crime, and street children can have a pure and happy childhood.

                 

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