The main focus was to design a school for community children of village which will make them feel homely and inspire them in learning. Keeping this in mind, a joyful and vibrant school is designed with play of outdoor, semi-outdoor and indoor spaces .This reflects the space organization of traditional homesteads of Bangladesh.
The key challenges were to build a contextual school complex with using local materials and make it familiar to village house’s space organization to welcome the children of the locality. Village children are familiar with one storied Do-chala homesteads with central courtyard (uthan).Respecting the space organization, a courtyard was designed at the center of the building. Semi- outdoor class room, office room and service spaces are arranged in ground floor. So, classrooms are placed in first floor and a welcoming straight flight stair connects it with ground. First floor has been conceptualized as an elevated ground floor.
Being inspired from traditional rural homestead, all elements are picked up from it rather than inventing new ones. To achieve the earth-like scheme of traditional homestead, a customized plaster is used as wall finish. Cement and pigment were used to make the wall finish and later on a layer of adhesive is applied over it for weather protection.Vibrant colors are introduced on the facades. These colors are interpreted from green shades of our landscape .Perforated screen of framed walls are inspired from traditional bamboo screening. Pigmented CC finished floors, framed walls, perforated screen, bamboo ceiling are built on site using local materials to reduce the cost.
The classrooms are placed in north-south orientation so that they get cross ventilation. This ensure comfortable environment even during the scorching heat of summer. Roof and perforated screen of the building are designed in traditional way to ensure plenty of light and air circulation in classrooms.
Team:
Architects: Archeground Ltd.
Principal Architect: Lutfullahil Majid
Associate Architects: Md. Jubair Hasan, Nabi Newaz Khan, Tahlil Bin Reza, Mehenaz Chowdhury, Kafil Saddam Hossain
Structural Engineer: Mir Mosharrof Hossain Chowdhury
Contractor: Local contractor managed by Shahabuddin Foundation.
Photographer: Maruf Raihan
Materials used:
Foundation: Individual R.C.C footing.
Structure: Framed structure of R.C.C Column and beam.
Roof: Metal truss is used as roofing structure, MS Truss as Structural Frame, MS Purlin,C I sheet
Space: Functional space is divided by brick wall and perforated screen.
Finish: Framed walls are made of wooden and metal frame. NCF is used as floor finish. Ceiling is made of traditional handmade bamboo woven panel with wooden frame.
Lighting Fixtures: Traditional bamboo basket is used as lighting shade.
Special Features:
Earth like wall finish of the building.
Colorful metal panel with wooden frame and perforated metal screening for building façade.
Customized pigment is used to make the textured CC floors and walls.
No glass is used in this project.
Internal see through courtyard space creates a connectivity between front yard and back yard.
