The Scindia School in Gwalior is one of the most prestigious boarding schools for boys, founded in 1897 and situated within grounds of the historic Gwalior Fort. The majestic 19th century school buildings originally functioned as a barracks for British soldiers, and give the school an old-world charm. Over the years the buildings have been badly maintained and the site was in need of various refurbishments including: restoring the stone and timber roofs of the old school buildings to their former beauty and thermal functionality but with improved waterproofing; a new roof for a sports pavilion providing better shade, and reconfiguration & restoration of the interior to improve function and user-comfort; a tensile cover over a sports stand; brightening and improving the classrooms; providing the auditorium with good acoustics, lighting and stagecraft; a building extension; some landscaping to enhance aesthetics and usability of outdoor spaces; a new façade, better cross-ventilation and acoustic insulation for the dining hall.
The dining hall is relatively new but the client found its 'modern' aesthetic to be an odd contrast to the old school buildings opposite, with an interior that was badly ventilated and noisy. The renovation attempts to merge old and new, bringing back the old world charm and respecting the cultural heritage of the context whilst retaining the spacious interior and large windows of the modern building.
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