Main Information
Project Name: A Playful Learning Pavilion
Office Name: STHAPOTIK
Office Website: www.sthapotik.com
Social Media Accounts: Sthapotik/Sharif Uddin Ahammed
Contact email: [email protected]
Firm Location: Sthapotik, Unit #1B, House #8/2 Block #D, Lalmatia, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh
Completion Year: 2015
Gross Built Area (m2 / ft2 ): 222 sqm, 2391 sqft
Project Location: Sector -4 Uttara , Dhaka, Bangladesh
Program / Use / Building Function: School
Lead Architects: Ar. Md. Sharif Uddin Ahammed
Lead Architects e-mail: [email protected]
Documenter and Illustrator: Ar. Hajera Easha
Architect’s e-mail: [email protected]
Photo Credits: Maruf Raihan Photographer’s
Website: https://www.marufraihan.works/
Photographer’s e-mail: https://www.marufraihan.works/
Introduction
In Dhaka’s dense urban fabric, educational institutions are grappling with spatial limitations, overcrowded classrooms, and a striking absence of open playfields. Most schools in the city are confined to “classrooms only,” lacking natural ventilation, adequate daylight, or any connection to the outdoors. This School, located in the Uttara residential area of Dhaka, rises as an inspiring architectural response to this pressing crisis. This early learning center caters to children aged 2 to 8, including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and offers both readiness and after-school programs. The project addresses the urgent need for inclusive, flexible, and nature-integrated educational spaces in a cost-effective and contextually responsive manner. Faced with a tight budget of just 1.2 million BDT and a narrow construction window of two months, the architects adopted a resourceful and sustainable approach. An existing structure on-site was retained and creatively incorporated into the new design, while all mature trees were preserved. These decisions not only minimized costs and construction time but also reinforced the project's ecological sensitivity. Throughout the process, design elements were carefully adjusted in phases to remain within budget. Local, vernacular materials were selected to ensure affordability and environmental harmony. Site orientation, natural ventilation, and passive lighting strategies were also prioritized to enhance energy efficiency without added expense. In doing so, this becomes a model of how design can achieve quality, sustainability, and inclusivity—even within tight constraints.
Concept: A Pavilion for Open Learning
The core concept of Little Wonder School was to break the rigidity of traditional classroom typologies and reimagine the school as a pavilion for open, playful learning—especially for children with ASD who benefit from tactile, nature-based, and fluid environments. The architects designed the school as an immersive experience where boundaries between indoors and outdoors dissolve. Classrooms flow into nature through operable, removable doors, encouraging sensory engagement and social interaction. A nature-based playground, integrated into the core of the layout, becomes both a recreational and pedagogical space. The boundary wall it self serves as a blackboard— transforming the enclosure into a canvas for creativity. The school was designed to not only support conventional learning but also to promote emotional, social, and cognitive development through play, movement, and discovery.
Form Generation
Shaped in an L-formation, the school wraps around a central courtyard that functions as the main playground. This geometry allows classrooms and activity areas to open directly to outdoor space, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor transition. The existing trees on-site were preserved and used to guide the spatial orientation and roof angles. Strategic zoning organizes the school effectively: the southwest quarter features the entrance and walkways; the north and east corners house classrooms, therapy areas, a teacher’s room, a library, and service zones. Operable folding doors bring natural air and diffused sunlight into every space. A pitched roof design was implemented to reflect light from the adjacent tall building, enhancing the interior daylight quality.
Constructional Intervention
Despite its humble scale, the project’s execution was exemplary. By reusing the existing structure and limiting material consumption, the architects kept the total cost under 12 lakh BDT. Design iterations were made throughout the process to ensure affordability while maintaining spatial quality and sustainability. Energy efficiency was prioritized through the use of passive design strategies— cross-ventilation, shaded transition spaces, rooftop gardening for insulation, and maximum use of natural lighting. The site was treated as a unified, dynamic learning ground, with every inch serving an educational or experiential purpose.
Materials
All construction materials were locally sourced and chosen based on proximity, affordability, and their alignment with traditional and bioclimatic principles. The palette includes bamboo, brick, metal, and wood—materials known for their environmental friendliness and cultural resonance in Bangladesh. No imported components were used, allowing the project to remain low-cost, sustainable, and contextually grounded.
