Climate shelter: Innovation in design with Garnica Duraply

At the Collserola School in Sant Cugat del Vallès, creativity and sustainability have come together to create an innovative climate shelter. Developed as part of the Master's Degree in Parametric Design Oriented to Lightweight Structures (MPDA) at the UPCSchool and directed by CODA, this project redefines the integration of educational spaces with nature, offering thermal comfort and shade for children.

For its construction, Garnica Duraply, a poplar plywood specifically designed for outdoor use, has been chosen. Thanks to its durability treatment, it is highly resistant to moisture and the most demanding weather conditions, without compromising its structural properties. Its white HPL finish not only provides a modern and elegant aesthetic, but also guarantees a resistant and easy-to-maintain surface, ideal for school environments.

This material has enabled the creation of a functional and attractive structure, with a combination of strength and versatility that facilitates its assembly and adaptation to different environments. The rigidity and lightness of poplar plywood have been key to shaping a design that is durable, easy to handle and transport, which favours the optimisation of resources.

The shelter has been designed to improve thermal comfort in the school environment. The structure provides an efficient solution for providing shade and reducing direct solar radiation, creating a cool and pleasant environment for children. This feature is fundamental in the integration of educational spaces with the natural environment, providing a shelter for both outdoor activities and interaction with the surrounding nature.

With a design optimised using parametric tools, the structure combines efficiency, lightness and harmony with the environment. Its execution has been possible thanks to the talent and vision of the MPDA students, with the expert direction of CODA Architecture, and has been captured in striking images by photographer Andrés Flajszer.

Key aspects of the project:

• Durability: Garnica Duraply is resistant to humidity and extreme weather conditions.
• Parametric design: Flexible and efficient structure optimised digitally.
• Thermal comfort: Provides shade and improves the school environment.
• Efficiency in assembly: Lightweight and easy to transport, optimising resources.
• Educational collaboration: Joint design between MPDA and CODA students.

Find out more about the material used in this project at the following link: Duraply Board Ultra-durable Plywood for Outdoor Use | Garnica

Explore all the details of this initiative at: MPDA