VISHWAKSENA VIDYA VIKAS SCHOOL, SRIPERUMANDUR

   VISHWAKSENA VIDYA VIKAS SCHOOL

VISHWAKSENA GLOBAL SCHOOL

School is a building which has four walls with tomorrow inside – Lon Watters

India’s heritage is rich with the stories of students sitting in a tightly knit circle around their guru, faces flushed with the excitement of knowledge. Waning to the present times, the customs have changed but the vital role a school plays in India’s diverse society has endured. This school project is located in Sriperumbudur district, near Chennai, Tamilnadu, in a locality that is devoid of any prime educational nodes. The site is off the main road in a serene spot, placing the children away from the hustle bustle of the Tiruvallur-Sriperumbudur highway.

Through the prominent entrywayand past the façade wall - which is painted by the shadows of the pergola above, sprawling across 9 acres ofred earthen surface sits the school’s multiple blocks.The built-up is split over three blocks with the main CBSE block comprising of the nursery, primary and middle school classes, the stateboard block with the higher secondary classes and the lab block with the labs.

A path winds itself through, hugged by artfully landscaped lawns connecting the entrance to the admin block. The CBSE block - composed of bold lines and bright colors of green, white and yellow - plays with the mind with the help of the greenery and landscape that offsets itself off the path, enveloping the building on all sides.

The nursery areawith its low scale factor is boldly sculpted but playfully tinged with colorful elements suitable for little kids. The cheerful openings combined with the multi-hued pergolas create a view which makes it easy to imagine how a child would be lost in the world of colors and shapes as the building itself reflects the spirited enthusiasm and the whirling innocent movement found among children. When looking down at the niches and the shapes one finds numerous interesting lights and shadows created by the cutouts on the wall. It makes the child think of such possibilities and how different it looks form the usual concrete boxes that they are so used to seeing everywhere they go.

There are ample sit out spaces on the window ledges and the courtyard railings that allows a lot of interaction among the kids even as they remain under their teachers’ supervision.

The stateboard building has an elements not conventionally used in schools like curved walls, wall niches, skylights, etc.The building emerges from its central courtyard that connects all its levels and provides a mesmerizing view from everywhere and lights up all the spaces connected. The courtyard brings nature inside the building and blends well with the color and the mood of the surroundings and keep kids close to the nature. In the upper floors great care has been taken to ensure utmost safety measures without hindering a child’s view. Natural lighting has been provided to every nook and corner of the building and ventilation that promises nice breezy winds in the mornings and evenings.

The design builds up an innocent simplicity in experience with simple elements and effective use of materials like paint on concrete and glass. Even further inwards the design also shows how a curved wall has been treated beautifully with niches amongst which toilet ventilators were well camouflaged. The niche wall with colorful bright patterns on a curved space extends three floors high and captures dynamism of a rectilinear and circular shape. The internal spaces, classrooms, Staff rooms, toilets and corridors are also well defined and not restrictive.

Overall, the project creation evolved around enriching a child’s schooling experience a lively and memorable one. The spaces, forms and elements used are unconventional but endearing as they serve their purpose – to make this school a worthy home away from home.