The work of the Project 5 students in the Architecture program at ORT was selected as one of the 35 finalist projects. As such, their proposal will receive an official certificate, and will be featured in exhibitions and events organized by the organization, and will be included in the .
With this selection, the Uruguayan team ranks among projects from more than 20 countries and confirms the global reach of the talent trained at ORT.
The Kaira Looro Contest
Kaira Looro is an international architecture competition organized by the humanitarian organization Balouo Salo, which, for its 2025 edition, called for designs for a kindergarten for rural areas in southern Senegal.
The goal was to provide a safe, inclusive, and stimulating environment that promotes the holistic development of children and become a community hub.
The program was to include:
- Five classrooms (20 children each)
- Administrative offices for meetings and interviews
- Recreational and educational area versatile space for games and workshops
- Nursing First Aid Nursing
- Dining room and storage for materials
- Restrooms for students and staff
In addition to the main prizes (€5,000 and an internship at Kengo Kuma & Associates for first place), the competition awarded 2 honorable mentions, 10 special mentions, and 35 finalist spots, all of which will be featured in traveling exhibitions and the official printed volume.
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Uruguayan finalists
The project, identified by the code FIOSSI06090409, falls under the “Finalists” category and appears on the official list published by the organization, where it is listed alongside proposals from France, Japan, Poland, Argentina, and other countries.
For the authors—Rossi, Montenegro, and Suárez—this project was part of the academic process of Project 5, a course in which students tackle real-world architectural challenges with an international scope. The instructors responsible for the course were Architect Francisco Díaz, Architect María José Budelli, ArchitectJavier Olascoaga, andArchitect Paula Kramer.
Kramer noted that this semester, students had more weeks of class and half the coursework, giving them more time to devote to developing better projects, thereby achieving better results and encouraging them to participate. The proposal stood out for its inclusive approach and its cultural sensitivity to the Senegalese context.
“We believe this is a wonderful challenge, and that it’s enriching to take part in these competitions and compete on a global stage. Having half a semester to prepare clearly paid off, because there were many excellent projects that stood a good chance,” said Professor Kramer, concluding:
“This winning project has clearly demonstrated that our students are highly competitive and have a real chance of succeeding in this type of endeavor.”
Social and educational impact
ORT’s presence in Kaira Looro underscores the importance of linking academic education to global and contemporary issues: extreme poverty, lack of access to clean water, and inadequate electrification are hallmarks of the Casamance region, where the winning school will be built.
Enter a contest focused on the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals strengthens the technical, cultural, and ethical skills of our future architects and demonstrates the university’s ability to compete at the highest international level.