Científica del Sur University Campus by Plan A – Innovative, Sustainable Educational Architecture in Lima, Peru

Located in the northern cone of Lima, Peru, the Científica del Sur University Campus, designed by Plan A Architects in 2023, is a transformative educational complex that merges innovative design, sustainability, and community engagement. Spanning an impressive 20,300 m², this campus is strategically situated amidst densely populated neighborhoods, informal housing, and emerging urban hills, addressing both spatial and social challenges while serving as a new urban landmark along the Pan-American Highway.

The design embodies a humanistic and forward-thinking approach to education, redefining the traditional campus model. Recognizing that learning transcends conventional classrooms, Plan A prioritizes the creation of shared spaces and public areas, ensuring students, faculty, and the local community interact organically. From the entrance, 17% of the campus lot is dedicated to public space, providing shaded benches, meeting zones, and greenery that enhance the neighborhood’s spatial quality and foster urban regeneration.

Architecturally, the campus is conceived as a horizontal tower resting atop a two-story plinth. The plinth houses laboratories for scientific disciplines and aligns with the neighborhood’s human scale, topped with a garden roof promoting sustainability and natural insulation. The upper volume contains classrooms organized around a central void, creating a visual connection to the Pan-American Highway and establishing a bold urban identity. With three floors currently in operation and provisions for three additional floors in the future, the campus anticipates scalable growth while maintaining a coherent architectural language.

The longitudinal layout of the campus features a central boulevard that organizes spaces vertically and horizontally. Cafeterias, libraries, and auditoriums open seamlessly to the outdoors, creating a continuum of indoor-outdoor learning environments. A combination of stairs, bleachers, and hanging plazas enhances circulation while connecting ground-level spaces to garden roofs, skylight greenhouses, and intermediate terraces. These design strategies foster healthy, sustainable, and dynamic learning experiences.

The campus façade integrates a self-supporting metal skin that provides natural illumination, durability, and ease of maintenance, while the careful material palette—exposed brick, concrete, and greenery—ensures a sustainable, energy-efficient environment. The project’s innovative approach demonstrates a deep commitment to the city, the environment, and the community, turning the campus into a model for contemporary urban educational architecture.

All the photographs are works of Renzo Rebagliati