EMOSCAPE &VISUAL DYNAMICS: Where Emotions Meet Education

Project idea

Project: EMOSCAPE Higher Secondary School
Location: Sholinganallur, Chennai, TN, India

This School Harmoniously Integrates 'Emotions and Architecture' along with 'Visual Dynamism' , fostering a Community-driven Learning Environment by Visually Connecting Different Levels and Floors, Encouraging Social-Interaction, Creativity, and Curiosity.

At Emoscape School, we recognize that every student is unique, with diverse needs across different age groups, ideologies, creativity levels, and intellectual abilities. Our innovative approach prioritizes emotional connection, merging physical and emotional environments to positively impact academic performance, behavioral aspects, and overall student well-being, encompassing mental, physical, and emotional wellness. This approach fosters a supportive community that nurtures each individual's growth over their twelve-year journey.

Our Concept Emotecture and Visual Dynamics - A playful combination of Emotions in Architecture and along with creating a Visually Dynamic Structure featuring a continuous loop structure inspired by DNA's Double Helix - A Twisted, Spiral structure. The building's welcoming ramps and corridors seamlessly connect different levels, fostering self-navigation skills, confidence, and creativity. The visually striking design creates an engaging learning environment that sparks curiosity and makes school an exciting destination. By Uniting these elements, Emoscape School redefines the future of education.

Project description

The design of EmoScape School emphasizes a visually dynamic and accessible structure. The ground floor welcomes students through a grand entrance, complemented by a wide ramp that leads to the first-floor corridor, offering an exciting entry experience. This ramp not only serves as a practical access point but also creates a sense of anticipation as students move through the building.

On the first floor, two twisting ramps connect to the roof of the school, encouraging exploration and providing an engaging flow of movement. The ramps create a continuous connection between spaces, allowing students to freely transition between different sections of the building, enhancing both mobility and interaction within the learning environment.

The proposed design aims to balance functionality with aesthetic appeal, offering an environment that stimulates both emotional and intellectual growth. The school’s layout fosters openness, communication, and interaction among students, ensuring a holistic approach to learning.

The school complex features a unique, intersecting two-loop circular structure. Each loop's exterior circumference serves as a facade with windows and ventilation, while the breadth marked by radiating sections from centre form classrooms. The classrooms are wedge-shaped, tapering from 9.6 meters to 6.4 meters, with the larger end curving along the circular facade.

Duplicating the classrooms in this pattern with prior calculation of the circumference of the circle as per requirement and arrangement of classrooms achieving 36 classrooms with 30 students each, splitting them as 18 classrooms in each floor in both blocks. The school complex's design optimizes space by duplicating classrooms in a calculated pattern based on the circumference of the intersecting circular loops. This arrangement accommodates 36 classrooms, each with a capacity of 30 students, distributed evenly across two floors in both blocks.

The intersection of the loops creates two crescent-shaped open spaces, one of which is utilized as a channel tunnel. This tunnel features a fluidic, Natural mud-roof structure made from natural mud Lime plaster; Thappi. Strategically positioned to reduce corridor lengths, the tunnels allow students to walk above them, navigating between corridors and indoor game areas. The tunnel spaces below can be used for display boards, awards, and achievements, creating an engaging and interactive experience.

The ground floor is designed for students from grades 1 to 6, focusing on fostering curiosity, self-navigation, and exploration. The design encourages students to discover and learn through an interactive and dynamic environment, promoting a holistic educational experience.

Technical information

The proposed building design incorporates innovative and sustainable materials, focusing on environmental responsiveness and aesthetic appeal. The structure features double wall partitions made of customized fly ash bricks, 500 mm in width, which serve multiple purposes: they act as jaalies (perforated screens) providing ventilation, cooling, and shading while concealing service lines. Strategically positioned 1.25 meters away from the building facade, these panels create a dynamic visual effect with a reptile-like pattern, enhancing the building's aesthetic appeal.

In the interior, particularly in the first-floor corridors, intermediate jali brick partitions are used to provide shading and create dynamic lighting patterns through sunlight. This design element is intended to uplift the mood of students by casting varying patterns of light and shadow throughout the day, contributing to a positive emotional environment that supports better academic performance.

A unique feature of the design is the incorporation of channel tunnels in the playground, constructed using natural mud plaster with lime plaster coating and topped with a ferrocement shell structure. These self-sustaining, fluidic structures serve as climbable tunnel pathways, promoting interactive play while showcasing sustainable building techniques. The use of ferrocement and natural materials underscores the project's commitment to sustainability and environmental harmony.

The design combines functionality with aesthetic appeal, leveraging natural materials and innovative construction techniques to create a eco-friendly learning environment. By integrating sustainable building practices, dynamic architectural elements, and a focus on emotional well-being, the project aims to set a new standard for environmentally responsive and engaging educational spaces.

Documentation

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