In a protected 19th-century mansion in Rio de Janeiro, the school Eleva Botafogo entrusted STUDIO DLUX with the renovation of its Early Childhood Education areas. Built in the 1870s, the building presented a unique challenge: transforming a historical site into a contemporary learning environment that inspires, welcomes, and provokes, all while respecting heritage preservation guidelines and incorporating the pedagogical values of the Inspired Education Group.
Project Name: Eleva Botafogo
Studio Name: STUDIO DLUX
Project’s location: R. Gen. Severiano, 159 – Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro
Year of conpletion: 2024
Built area: 478,19m²
Lead architect: Carolina Passos e Mariana Alonso
Photography credits: Isabela Marano
The first phase of the project included the renovation of classrooms for preschool levels 2 and 3, a multi-purpose space that serves as both dining area and psychomotor room, restrooms, and circulation areas. Hallways were designed as learning extensions of the classrooms, expanding opportunities for interaction and discovery.
Creative and respectful architectural solutions were necessary to reorganize the internal layout without compromising the building’s historical features. Every intervention was carefully considered to balance what the protected structure allowed with what the educational operation required.
A calm and neutral color palette was chosen to foreground the children and their creations. Organic forms, tactile materials, and custom furniture scaled for young users foster free movement, curiosity, and independent engagement with the space.
The project was developed in close collaboration with local educators and the pedagogical team of Inspired Education in London. This collaborative process ensured the architecture responded to real needs, offering a sensitive and intentional spatial framework for early childhood development.
More than a functional renovation, Eleva School Botafogo demonstrates how educational architecture can merge with historical preservation to create environments that nurture, stimulate, and transform. A space that reaffirms architecture as a fundamental part of the learning experience, guided by listening, intention, and collective insight.
