The Laliguras School: A Resilient Vision for Education in Nepal

In the wake of natural disasters and geographic challenges that disrupt learning across Nepal, the Laliguras School prototype offers a hopeful and practical vision for the future of education. Named after Nepal’s national flower, a symbol of prosperity, the design emphasizes resilience, adaptability, and community strength.

The concept centers around a seven-meter square classroom module, organized around a shared courtyard and connected by open verandas. This modular approach ensures construction efficiency, flexibility for future growth, and a consistent learning environment that supports both students and teachers.

Inspired by Nepal’s traditional architecture, the Laliguras School integrates familiar elements such as arched openings, circular motifs, and sunlit courtyards. Its form honors regional aesthetics while enhancing comfort and safety. Elevated floors, steeply sloped roofs, and bioswales protect against monsoon impacts, while reinforced earthen walls and triangulated structural ties improve earthquake resilience.

Every detail reflects sustainability and self-reliance, using locally sourced materials, solar energy, rainwater harvesting, passive ventilation, and gardens that nourish both minds and bodies. The result is a climate-responsive and low-impact framework that communities can build and maintain themselves.

The Laliguras School is more than a building. It is a foundation for opportunity, designed to help education take root and flourish throughout Nepal’s diverse landscapes.

Architects Without Borders Oregon is proud to support design concepts like the Laliguras School that empower communities, promote resilience, and create lasting change through thoughtful architecture