SCUP Excellence in Planning, SCUP Excellence in Landscape Architecture and SCUP/AIA-CAE Excellence in Architecture

The new campus of Universidad del Istmo is located in the rapidly growing community of Santa Isabel near Guatemala City, Guatemala. The 49-hectare site is situated on a beautiful hillside and valley. The university aims to enroll approximately 6,200 students in successive stages of implementation over twenty years. The educational objectives and mission of the university include a strong focus on the individual and the community within the learning environment. The form of the new campus is a response to the university's social goals and commitment towards contemporary learning relationships. Taking into account the ecological forces and systems that influence the site, together with a careful positioning and orientation of new buildings to promote natural ventilation and daylighting, the campus is a model of sustainable strategies.

On the ridge overlooking the valley, Sasaki established the heart of campus featuring key civic components. A network of academic clusters is arranged along a linear landscape spine and linked by shaded walkways. The valley is designed to become a connected resource for the surrounding community and plays a critical role in the stormwater management of the entire site. The new campus accommodates the school of communication, the law school, and academic and administrative spaces for a variety of disciplines. Additional facilities include a rectory, a library, a chapel, a 300-person auditorium, a student center hub, an indoor gymnasium, outdoor recreation areas, a 100-bed teaching hospital, and housing for undergraduate students.

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