This design aimed to create maximum flexibility to solve a demanding education environments in the context of urban India.
Our design solution is divided into three main streams;
i. An interchangeable device made of recycling materials to provide flexible usability for educational purpose.
ii. A total revival of school/classroom layout design and challenge a new concept of teaching setup. On one hand to provide flexibility of layout and also to creative a stimulating learning environment.
iii. Active frontage design
[FLEXIBLE LEARNING SPACE]
The major idea behind the revival of teaching space in the school is a centralised, flexible spacing. The proposal is to open up the whole floor in school and does not requires fixed wall or partition that used to establish traditional “classroom” spaces.
The teacher’s area is located at the centre of floor, which is act as both working bench and storage for teaching staffs. All the teaching resources such as computer projector can be shared by a track system hanging from the ceiling and can be moved to any teaching space as required.
The same track system is also applies to the partitioning system which used to setting up teaching area and that is determined by the activities of the lesson.
Therefore the whole setup of a teaching spaces is totally flexible and easier to share teaching materials. For example, in a activity lesson, the teaching space can be larger, or during computer/i.t. lesson, a computer projector can be located in the teaching space by the central track system.
[ACTIVE STREET FRONTAGE]
To reveal a brand new image of improved school, an active street frontage is necessarily to be introduced.
At the street level, the frontage of the school will be completed by an array of full height glass partition to reveal the key educational element, i.t. equipment and library of books to emphasis the existence of the school to impress pedestrian.
Building facade will be a montage of colourful picture-frame like window framing to revive the activities within school. By planning only activities room such as computer lab and organic farm will be placed next to street side, therefore, noise and distraction will be reduced to minimum level.
Overall, the colourful outlook of the school will emerge subtlely into the enriched india culture.
[SPACE PLANNING STRATEGY]
New planning strategy of school will be modular and adaptable to any site scenario. There are three types of zoning within a school can be classified.
1. Flexible Learning Floor: The street level of the school should held the most vibrant and active activities in the school and get the most exposure to the urban context. Structurally the space should have no solid or fix wall, by instead a flexible system will be instead to provide maximum choices of configurations depends on conditions. Also the frontage of the school should also used to exhibit the most valuable assets for it educational usage, such as computer workstation and library of books. Therefore in the street level floor, a transparent treatment to its frontage is also encouraged to draw the community's attention.
2. Semi-Flexible Floor: On the upper level, most of the scenario will see the spaces available will not be as spacious on ground level, especially a central light well is introduced. A semi-flexible approach to the planning of space represent the teaching spaces will be form by adjustable partitioning system.
3. Fixed Classroom Floor: To make sure the changes that is proposed is not one-off and dramatic, an area of fixed classroom to provide conventional classroom setup.
[SUSTAINABLE PLANNING APPROACH]
Consider the cost constrain is a pre-determine factor, the approach to sustainability issue is simple and cost effect. Most importantly the approach is taken by space planning architecturally.
1. Daylighting Strategy:
A central light well to allow penetration of daylight from the rooftop, and also the main staircase will be installed in the atrium to allow students to enjoy a sense of comfort and direction in the indoor environment.
The external facade will be painted by matte white surface to minimize the reflection which causing disturbance to the neighborhood and also reduce the heat gain from the equatorial sunlight of india.
2. Improve Natural Ventilation: First of all, the sides that facing to open air should be closed by rooms. Instead, the proposal is encourage locating spaces that can be open up next to the street frontage, which allow natural air movement along the axis of the building. On the other hand, all of the "solid" spaces such as toilet, storage and laboratory will be located on the side of the building, to minimize the blocking effect to air movement.
The design of light well also facilitate natural ventilation by drawing indoor air to extract on the roof top by chimney effect (Stack Effect).
[MODULAR DEVICE]
The above measures are aimed to provide flexible architectural planning to the school. Indoor and interior hardware design should also be considered. This modular device is made of recycle materials. Considers the hugh amount of motor vehicle in a country like India, there must a abundant amount of wasted oil barrels. By simple post-production of the wasted object and cutting it into half, this can turns it into a multi-function device for teaching use in a school.
1. Free Use: Overlapping of the device in a free space for whatever use of it.
2. Group Discussion: The device can be used to hang a blackboard and stand at ground level, which is close to children height, this can facilitate small group discussion which bring closer distance between teachers and students.
3. Stage: An array of device can form a small stage for students use as a platform for variety of activities.
4. Exhibition: The flat side of the device can be used as a hanging wall for students to hang up their art works or drawings. This simple setup allow students to apply their creativity in arranging different configuration of the device.
5. Storage: The device can be used as an effective storage cabinet.
6. Planter: The device can used to plant by using it to place soil inside the barrel and provide sufficient nutrient and water by students.
[BUILDING MATERIALS]
All building materials selected in this proposal is aimed to be low cost, locally available and simple.
1. Reinforced Concrete: R.C. will build up the majority of the building envelope as it is durable and commonly available in India.
2. Brick: Used in setting up partition and wall, brick is sufficiently available in India and easy for construction.
3. Polymer Floor Toppings: In most of the habitable space in a school will use polymer floor tile to provide the durability and safety factors that an educational space necessarily in needed.
4. Aluminum: Abundantly available in India, and it is a light weight materials sustainable to be used to make all the railing/track system for the interior flexible partitioning system.
5. Cork: All the movable partitions will be made of cork board. It is lightweight therefore easily for user to move. And also its sound absorbing characteristic is also highly desirable to reduce noise conduction between classroom.
6. Low E Glass
All glasses to be installed in the new school will be using Low E glass to fulfill the requirement of environmental friendliness.
