Sanskruti School by Shreyas Patil Architects

The plinth level of the school is contoured according to the site context. A direct entry from the south is the primary entrance to the atrium and the basement floor. An amphitheater on the east facing the playground acts as another stairway entry leading up towards the atrium. A ramp running parallel to this assists the challenged. 

At the entry-level on the ground floor, three nursery classrooms, a principal’s cabin with the admin block, and a crafts room is planned around a central atrium. At this point a double-height entry going downwards allows the children to access the basement for recreation and lunch recess. 

Two staircase blocks connect the building vertically. The staircase on the south is a straight flight of staircases jammed between the garden courts on the south and the internal corridors of the central courtyard. This staircase along with its garden courts buffers the internal spaces from the sunny south 

façade of the building. 

Another typical dog-legged fashioned staircase is located on the north, opening up between tight arrangements of formal classrooms and informal outdoor activity areas. This staircase also guides the students to the basement for recess and lunch breaks. Direct access to the basement is caved in from 

the foyer of the building for larger gatherings of students. 

Four classrooms for lower kindergarten students, a staff room, and a multipurpose activity room are located on the first floor. Likewise, four classrooms for upper kindergarten students, a day bedroom, and a toy room are located on the second floor. These formal classrooms and open areas are juxtaposed enabling students to carry-out outdoor activities across all floors of the building. 

Two staircase blocks connect the building vertically. The staircase on the south is a straight flight of staircases jammed between the garden courts on the south and the internal corridors of the central courtyard. This staircase along with its garden courts buffers the internal spaces from the sunny south 

façade of the building. 

Another typical dog-legged fashioned staircase is located on the north, opening up between tight arrangements of formal classrooms and informal outdoor activity areas. This staircase also guides the students to the basement for recess and lunch breaks. Direct access to the basement is caved in from 

the foyer of the building for larger gatherings of students. 

Four classrooms for lower kindergarten students, a staff room, and a multipurpose activity room are located on the first floor. Likewise, four classrooms for upper kindergarten students, a day bedroom, and a toy room are located on the second floor. These formal classrooms and open areas are juxtaposed enabling students to carry-out outdoor activities across all floors of the building. 

On every floor, a toilet block is accommodated at the rear side of the building where two grids of classrooms intersect making it convenient to access from all classrooms and informal spaces. 

Considering the noise of vehicular traffic from the south and the southern heat, all indoor classrooms have been positioned on the northeastern and northwestern sides encouraging students to learn and grow in naturally lit and comfortably shaded spaces of the built form. 

The architectural language of openness, continuity, security, vibrancy, and unity is choreographed throughout by the thoughtful positioning of the courtyards, classrooms, staircases, corridors, and double-height spaces which connect students across grades. In response to the shape of a triangular site, three blocks are looped into each other enveloping all the spaces around a central triple-height courtyard. A bridge that connects across these blocks makes space for shared co-curricular activities such as craft and hobby rooms, library, and toy rooms. This block hovers above the main entrance of the ground floor, scooping in a shaded formal entryway into the ground floor atrium. 

On every floor, a toilet block is accommodated at the rear side of the building where two grids of classrooms intersect making it convenient to access from all classrooms and informal spaces. 

Considering the noise of vehicular traffic from the south and the southern heat, all indoor classrooms have been positioned on the northeastern and northwestern sides encouraging students to learn and grow in naturally lit and comfortably shaded spaces of the built form. 

The architectural language of openness, continuity, security, vibrancy, and unity is choreographed throughout by the thoughtful positioning of the courtyards, classrooms, staircases, corridors, and double-height spaces which connect students across grades. In response to the shape of a triangular site, three blocks are looped into each other enveloping all the spaces around a central triple-height courtyard. A bridge that connects across these blocks makes space for shared co-curricular activities such as craft and hobby rooms, library, and toy rooms. This block hovers above the main entrance of the ground floor, scooping in a shaded formal entryway into the ground floor atrium. 

The circular windows and the colorful Brise-soleil in shades of yellow and red are a metaphor for the naïveness, childlike and energetic nature of the kindergarten kids. This celebration of architectural features runs in and out of the building framing the indoors and outdoors through these fancy fenestrations.

 

The Brise soleil is assembled on the south and west to cut off the harsh summer glare and control the quality of light entering the built spaces creating dramatic patterns of shadows throughout the day. The massing of the built form is blossomed by stacking rows of classrooms within the three sides of the plot. With a rhythmic twist and turn of these blocks, a volume of cubes jutting out at perpendicular and angular degrees assists in creating simple yet powerful architectural volumes on the exteriors.