VISHWAKSENA SCOOL, SRIPERAMBUDUR

VISHWAKSENA GLOBAL SCHOOL, SRIPERAMBUDUR

India’s heritage is rich with the “stories of students” sitting in a tightly knit circle around their guru, in Gurukuls, faces flushed with 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.

“The earlier and more often children are exposed to nature, the happier, brighter and healthier they become.”

Our main design principle has been to relate the contemporary school structure with that of the Gurukuls, where the students were taught in a more ‘open space with a profound connect with the nature’, to oppose the usual boredom. The location of the site has been considered for its presence in a place 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 highway there.

Through the ‘prominent entryway’ and past the façade wall- which is painted by the shadows of the pergola above, sprawling across 9 acres of red 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 colours 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. Sit out spaces have been provided wherever possible, on the window ledges, and the courtyard railings that allow a lot of interaction among the kids even as they remain under their teacher’s supervision.

The nursery area with its low scale factor is ‘boldly sculpted but playfully tinged’ with colourful 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 colours 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 on 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 from the usual concrete boxes that they are so used to seeing everywhere they go.

The Stateboard building has the elements that are non-conventional to be used in schools. Elements such as curved walls, wall niches, skylights, etc have been used to induce unique character and design language to the building. 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 colour and mood of the surroundings and keeps kids close to the nature. In the upper floors great care has been take 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.