Hurricanes Maria (2017), Ian (2022), and Beryl (2024) devastated Caribbean schools, many of which remain closed. The XQ Institute, Michael Murphy Studio, and WoHo are designing schools in Barbados that combine innovative teaching with climate-resilient design, models that can be scaled worldwide. They could serve as safe havens during storms and offer climate-focused, experiential learning to prepare students for new workforce demands, fostering economic resilience and sustainability in vulnerable coastal regions.
Inspired by XQ schools that are transforming teaching and learning, these mass timber architectural marvels are climate-resilient centers of community, and engines of economic growth. The outcome is a hexagonal design emphasizing inquiry, reflection, and public presentations.
Constructed with sturdy, regenerative materials and incorporating rainwater harvesting systems, renewable energy sources, and eco-rich spaces that promote biodiversity, these facilities will consume 70% less energy than a typical school and be better able to resist extreme weather events, becoming an exemplar for sustainable growth in vulnerable coastal regions.
