Spaceship Earth
On 3 November 1957, a stray from the streets of Moscow became the first living organism to orbit the Earth. Laika, the pioneering cosmonaut, although rather unnecessarily sacrificed -looking at the scientific impact of her hasty journey- on the altar of the competition between the two space superpowers of that time, can, today, be glorified again as the sub-object-symbol of a new era, that of the Anthropocene.
“No! We are in the Anthropocene era.”
Eugene F. Stoermer
Balanced Functionality
Starting from the famous Trinity Experiment at the American nuclear test site, geologists, biologists, and other experts place the milestone of this new geological period, molded by the dominant participation of human activity in the formation of the planet’s geology and ecosystems, on 16 July 1945 in New Mexico. The atomic bomb is the point of no return, which has given man the ability to annihilate himself, in a few seconds, according to Buckminster Fuller’s “Spaceship Earth”.
Several decades later, Eva and Carlos, two Belgian Malinois dogs, Harris the cuckoo, five families of terns and six falcons and twenty sparrows, live and learn together in a new building, located thirty kilometers west of Madrid. Situated amidst rural fields that have been altered in recent decades by urban development and intensive agriculture, the architecture of the Educan School represents an integrated experiment in restoring the local ecosystem and reversing the negative impacts of human activity.
Educan’s architecture is a design for multiple types of “users”, including but not limited to humans. In the two classrooms, dogs and trainers practice sports that require dexterity, timing, and precision, such as Schutzhund. Meanwhile, birds gather in nests formed by the facade, enjoying the view and orientation as well as other benefits that particularly attract them. Small birds feed on rodents, contributing to the ecological balance of the neighboring fields. Smaller species and bats – which inhabit the south façade sign – feed on insects, such as mosquitoes, which can carry certain dog diseases, while also participating in the pollination cycles of flowers and plants in the area. Sparrows made an impromptu appearance in this self-regulating ecosystem, uninvitedly settling in the circular holes of the structure’s containers.
Architectural Details
Non-humans (not as the opposite of humans, but as all species beyond humans) are at the center of the design. Ηas this, then, sparked a third architectural revolution following the theocentrism of the ancient and medieval periods and the anthropocentrism of the Renaissance and modernity? Form, an awkward yet fundamental criterion for determining the architectural identity of a new project, does not provide the answer. Educan is not necessarily different from a (well-designed) rural warehouse or an ordinary productive infrastructure for people and machines. Typologically and functionally, the differences in this new architecture are subtle. However, what is critical is the scale of the animals themselves, in what is usually called “detail.” The floors, typically designed for humans and their shoes, are adapted for the paws and joints of dogs’ feet. The training rooms feature removable rolls of PTE synthetic turf approved for dog training, while the theory rooms are covered with semi-polished, exposed, inert concrete made from river pebbles.
The average height of the architectural space drops from the typical 1.60 meters (the eye level of the average standing person) to just half a meter. Internal openings are raised to over one meter to avoid distracting trained dogs. Blinds shadow the south-facing openings, allowing enough space for the dogs to move. Rainwater is collected from the roof into large troughs for dogs and birds, while interior surfaces are lined with sound-absorbing foam insulation to minimize noise and reverberation.
Sustainable Materials
The building employs a wide range of materials and construction practices, both conventional and digital, integrating various techniques, scientific knowledge, and production systems. This approach connects the building, from its production to its eventual demolition, to the natural environment and neighboring human activities. The materials used are either recycled or fully recyclable, while paying special attention to minimizing waste during their production, life cycle, and disposal.
The thermal capacity of the in-situ concrete mass contributes significantly to the energy efficiency and behavior of the structure, while the wavy sheets of the formwork are produced from recycled trusses. The optimization and standardization of the industrial metal sheets and the precise cutting and joining of the glued timber on the CNC, together with the reuse of HC 40 containers and the handmade iron construction with customized joints, follow a philosophy of minimal resource management for achieving the maximum result.
Custom Structures
Unique elements such as the legs of specific furniture, light fixtures, and large sliding doors, as well as manual bioclimatic features like perforated shutters and blinds, have been designed, commissioned, and assembled. From the weight of the foundations and reinforced concrete walls to the lightness of the dry-structure elements, everything is conceptualized with two primary considerations: the behavior and perception of non-humans and environmental sustainability. This approach influences both the tectonic adequacy and morphology of the structure.
Educan is the tangible proof of a new architecture that responds to the demands of the Anthropocene. The basic components of architecture (of people for people) are reformulated based on a new, universal method, motivated by a totally innovative purpose: life on Earth beyond our own species.