As propagated, ‘We shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us’, reflects how impactful architecture is, as a tool to improve lives. Hence, we understand how necessary it is, to design, our schools, spaces which shape the young curious minds. Accordingly, with this responsibility, we started the intervention of conceptualizing a school. A physical manifestation of a journey of learning, where learning happens not just within the four walls of a classroom, but also in the informal spaces where kids meet, discuss, and ponder. It was clear to us, for an intervention like this which involves 550 students of various age groups along with teaching and non-teaching staff, to have a precise, strategic zoning of formal-informal spaces, built-unbuilt spaces, circulation, and toilet services.
Name
AUS
Year
2021
Typology
Institution
Location
Bamako
As propagated, ‘We shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us’, reflects how impactful architecture is, as a tool to improve lives. Hence, we understand how necessary it is, to design, our schools, spaces which shape the young curious minds. Accordingly, with this responsibility, we started the intervention of conceptualizing a school. A physical manifestation of a journey of learning, where learning happens not just within the four walls of a classroom, but also in the informal spaces where kids meet, discuss, and ponder. It was clear to us, for an intervention like this which involves 550 students of various age groups along with teaching and non-teaching staff, to have a precise, strategic zoning of formal-informal spaces, built-unbuilt spaces, circulation, and toilet services.
With these specifics, the perception of the school took form. A perception, where the kids could roam free onto a limitless ground, where they could connect with the sky be surrounded with nature, everywhere, on playgrounds, in classrooms. Programmatically, there are two schools which sit on a tight site. Hence the concept was further developed such that all these spaces could at least promote 4 ways of learning. This eventually acts as a framework, ensuring, though the site-program constraints, all learning spaces could be strategically and efficiently be planned. Subsequently, the spatial arrangement promotes all these necessary ways of learning which were – learning from teachers, learning by doing, learning by self and learning from peers.
Moving to the front of the site comes the administration spaces stacked in two levels, with the visitors (parents coming for admission) confined to the ground and superior staff’s (principal + director) spaces above, giving a controlled circulation pattern. The intent of the design is to make a school that could respect all age groups requirements and provide spatial experiences throughout the school. The goal of the design was to achieve maximum open space on ground followed with informal/ group spaces eventually leading to the formal spaces above.
The entire building envelope is provided with a screening, that helps keep building naturally cool. With the inclined wall layers designed as a louvered façade, it not only cuts heat but also houses planter beds which frames the view for the students to see sky and trees.
As vertical circulation was inevitable in a context full of buildings, the idea was to reserve these formal spaces of learning, (learning from teachers) like classrooms, art rooms, science rooms to the upper levels where students are allowed to concentrate. The upper three levels comprise off all the primary and secondary formal spaces, followed by ICT rooms and libraries below to the periphery and subsequently workshops, nursery and administration spaces on the ground opening towards the playground areas. The upper three levels of the school are provided with a central corridor, with a panoramic skylight above. Students are welcomed into the upper school spaces with a stairway which further opens into a central spine. The central spine becomes the heart of the school, where students gather, talk, have their breaks; which connects all the vertically stacked learning spaces together that promote learning from teachers, creating a social playful vibrant link, connecting all ways of learning together. The stairways from the multipurpose space leads to the first floor ICT rooms. Opposite to these spaces, on the west side lies a spiral staircase which connects the first floor (which opens towards a court where the library sits) to the second floor (from where the students can access the library).
The design of the form sticks to a basic cube which then further opens and creates varied volume of spaces and creates open spaces too. The simplicity of form was stressed on to ensure that the building would act as a backdrop for the students and won’t be bold on them. A delicate elevation, porous enough to let children have a connect to the sky and spaces which make way for their activities and doesn’t dictate its presence. The intent of the design to make a school that could respect all age groups requirements and provide spatial experiences throughout the school was achieved.
Since 2019
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