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Design Develop LLC

architecture firm, Charlottesville, Baltimore,

rendering,

visualization,

entitlement, master planning, planning, 3D point cloud scanning, Owner's Representative, Zoning, Zoning write, Albemarle county,

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Amigos de Santa Cruz

Status:

On The Boards

Lake Atitlán, Guatemala

This multi-building school in Santa Cruz La Laguna is designed to grow with its community, with separate one-story structures for grades 1-3 and 4-6 connected by a shared multi-purpose space. Set into a steep hillside above the village, the design follows the slope rather than fighting it, with covered walkways and curved roof forms linking buildings at different levels and tying the campus to the soccer field below. A warm, varied color palette of terracotta, blush, and soft yellow distinguishes each volume while keeping the whole composition cohesive. Deep roof overhangs and open-air corridors provide shade and natural ventilation, with classrooms opening directly onto covered outdoor space. Solar panels integrated into the rooflines and a two-story tower element mark the campus's high points, capturing mountain and lake views while supporting the school's sustainability goals. Native plantings and stone retaining walls hold the hillside, while a welcoming entry gate and wrought iron fencing frame the campus within its dramatic Lake Atitlán setting.

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