The design brief called for the accommodation of additional programs such as classrooms, activity rooms, large dance halls, a research lab, library and breakout spaces along with the refurbishment of the school’s interiors. While the expansion was earmarked for the open space adjoining the school, a detailed study of the existing structure and circulation pattern revealed that the additional functions could be effectively accommodated as additions to the existing building. This approach would help utilise existing circulation cores, and the need for resource-intensive additions while leaving the proposed site for expansion as open playgrounds for students.
With this premise, a series of strategic interventions are designed to accommodate the additional programs, add efficiency and vibrancy to disused parts of the building, and remodel the interiors to create engaging spaces for the students. To fulfil the requirement of additional spaces, a scheme has been developed that fits the newly built mass fitting into the old along the road-facing south facade. Additional classrooms have been provided for the terrace floor. The new extensions also provided the opportunity to create 4 large blank walls that are envisioned as canvases that highlight the key tenets that define the school’s philosophy.