Case Study: COR Architecture + Design Transforms Nursery School with WOW Ceramics

By WOW Design

The studio COR Architecture + Design led the expansion of the Santiago Apóstol Nursery School in Albatera, Alicante, Spain — an intervention that goes beyond functionality to become an architectural reflection on childhood, learning, and shared space.

In contrast to the original building — a simple gabled structure — the new volume proposes a clear and striking geometry that enters into dialogue with the existing architecture while asserting its own identity. The most powerful gesture of the project is the porch: a “pink inner shell” that opens to the outside, transforming the entrance into a welcoming, warm, and symbolic stage. This transitional space, fully clad in WOW Design ceramics, becomes the heart of the school — a place where things happen, where children play, learn, and express themselves.

Ceramics here act as an emotional envelope. The small-format pieces by WOW Design, from the Stripes Collection, help construct a chromatic and tactile universe that defines the spatial experience. The contrast between the sober, white-toned façade and the warm, orange ceramic interior of the porch creates an effect of surprise and comfort, wrapping the child in a space designed at their scale — suggestive and stimulating.

As the COR team explains: “This project seeks to respond to the shift in the educational paradigm, where the student builds their own learning path accompanied by the teacher. That’s why we propose connected, calm, less noisy, warm spaces adapted to their scale.”

Ceramics that embrace, stimulate, and educate

WOW Design ceramics become both an expressive and functional resource. In the porch and interior skirtings, the ceramic pieces define the atmosphere while meeting the demands of a school environment: resistance, ease of cleaning, durability, and above all, sensory quality. In this sense, the project demonstrates how ceramics with a material-driven language can enhance learning environments both physically and emotionally.

Moreover, the use of terracotta red adds a connection to the earth and the Mediterranean landscape, while the whites balance the proposal with a clean and luminous atmosphere. The selection of finishes, textures, and tones has been carefully curated to strengthen the bond between architecture, nature, and childhood emotions.

Architecture as an educational tool

The new building doesn’t just expand the school — it proposes a new way of understanding educational space. Outdoor areas are no longer mere passageways, but pedagogical stages; classrooms extend outward, and learning becomes decentralized. From a small, stepped platform to a continuous floor that encourages free play, every element is designed to stimulate autonomy, creativity, and social interaction.

In the words of the team: “We aim to create environments where children can develop critical thinking, independence, and democratic values — because architecture, too, educates.”

COR Architecture + Design

Based in Alicante, COR Architecture + Design is known for its contemporary, socially engaged approach that is highly sensitive to context. Their projects combine clean geometries, bioclimatic strategies, and meticulous attention to materials, creating architectural solutions that improve people’s lives.

Architects: COR Architecture + Design	Tiles: WOW Design. Collection Stripes.
Year: 2023	Photos: David Frutos