New Age School Designs Fostering Educational Sense
Meet the Indian designers who are applying the tinge of bright pastel hues on the hackneyed walls of classrooms along with creating interactive collaborative spaces and installing bamboo furniture.
The idea of a school having crooked corridors and dreary classrooms was long gone, now a number of design firms are adding the elements of environmental sustainability fused with aesthetics to spur independent learning.
looking at early learning institutions as seamless spaces that encourage independent learning. Think vibrant, collaborative spaces, flexible seating arrangements, and classrooms that double up as libraries.
Here are some of the School Design Projects which set apart from usual-
Kai Early Years, Bengaluru – Designed in 2019, the walls and floors are tactile in different textures, patterns accentuating the sensorial experience. As per the designer Bipin Bhadran, Managing Director, Education Design International, Kai Early Years is starkly different from a conventionally modelled school, the kitchen garden is a prominent design element, allowing students to understand a farm-to-fork concept.
Rane Vidyalaya, Theerampalayam, Trichy – “Situated in a village devoid of any educational institution, Rane Vidyalayawas built to inculcate learning beyond the classroom’s four walls,” says Ramya Sankara Raman, Director, Shanmugam Associates.
Drawing inspiration from temple mandapams where huge gatherings take place. The school has an enclosed 11,000 sq.ft. central courtyard planned with perforated light wells on the roof. The covered courtyard, which is the heart of the plan, runs almost through the entire length of the building.
Stellar World School kindergarten, Mumbai – Designed in 2022, KSD Studio’s latest project focuses on creating a fluid space for children with flexible furniture installation and pastel colour scheme. As per Kshiti Shah, the project’s principal designer. “Schools are restricted by solid classroom walls and furniture. We approached this project differently. We wanted to fade the boundaries between educators and learners through extensive use of transparency and collaboration spaces throughout the building.”
Heritage International Xperiential School, Gurugram – Launched in 2021, the school is inspired from Scandinavian designs with warm tones, straight lines, ample natural night, and seamless spaces.
“The designs of our schools haven’t changed much in the last 150 years,” says Vishnu Karthik, Director, The Heritage Group of Schools. He avers how the core structure of a school is similar to the designs we have had since the first industrial revolution.
The Outdoor Classroom, Pune – The idea was to create an environment that eco-friendly lifestyle eventually will become a part of their learning system, hence the school uses ample green features like bamboo, ‘kavdi’ flooring, and agro-wood aesthetics.
According to the designer, Tushar Kothawade, co-founder, Studio Infinity, the material palette is the game changer to bring eco-friendly elements to the spaces. “The choice was to be local, earthy, and cost-sensitive while making every decision. The salvaged mosaic floors, local tiles, raw bamboo, cement boards, and recycled wood formed a large part of our palette, mentions Tushar.
