Salient Features of the Project (Maximum A4 Size: 2 Pages)
Name & Location: Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya at Mothiyasinga, Assam, India
Cost of Project: (INR) 1,55,60,000 Rs
Description of Project
Built-up Area: 19,450 SFT

(In case of public building, minimum built-up area should be 1000 sq. meter)

Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalay in Assam and various villages in North East region of India providing man-making education for tribal and rural children in remote area to impart education on Swami Vivekananda’s thoughts like “Education is the manifestation of perfection already in man.” “If the poor boy can’t come to education, education must go to him.” etc.

Mothiyasinga site is 20 kilometers south of Shivsagar in forest area. The school was conceived in line with a policy of decentralization and making education more accessible to those living in remote areas.

2.5 acre site without contours having densely existed full grown tall trees. Because of existing 7 to 8 m tall evergreen trees, penetration of natural sunlight up to the ground is very less. There are also some interwoven small areas which used to be brightly lit and acting like a light well.

Classrooms are placed under the existing trees instead of placing in open empty space, so that open empty space becomes a sunlit courtyard for various common school activities.

Entire organic planning of a school which resembles village typology and is evolved by placing of built forms by on-site analysis of relation between existing naturally formed light wells and shaded areas.

Materials of Construction Details

Considering Assam’s heavy rainfall and humid climate, the traditional houses, their daily outfits, and farming equipment, they are using extensively bamboo as a main material. In traditional construction technique, the walls are made up of bamboo and timber framing with mud plaster which allows air to percolate through. Commonly used traditional big conical cap (Jappi) covering entire body from rain and sun made from tightly woven bamboo.

Bamboo material represents a bridge between past and present, creativity and tradition, cheap and precious, and transparency.

Innovative low-cost techniques that reinterpret traditional bamboo facades for classrooms.

Here they are fused into contemporary material steel that appears as interactive surface because of rotating panels. Children enjoy playing with rotating bamboo panels by displaying their individual work which turns into outside passage exhibition.

Ventilated pivoted bamboo panels creating play of inside and outside.

Each classroom breathes through porous bamboo walls, keeping the classroom ventilated and cool.

The project was hand-built by local craftsmen, pupils and teachers working in collaboration with architect.

Special Features

As being a community school for their children, we received overwhelming responses while designing which was beneficial as an architect to understand local traditions, ethics and knowledge. Also, local employment is formed by involvement of village people in bamboo construction.

By placing classrooms under densely existed full grown tall trees, forming interwoven brightly lit small areas acts as a sunlit courtyard for various common school & community activities.

To improve existing contextual dark and cozy indoor spaces, we have used skylights, rotating perforated bamboo panels to allow adequate amount of light and ventilation throughout the day and also reduce the electricity gain. The indoor spaces are highlighted by insertion of plastered and coloured walls.

Also, this entire organic planning of a school which resembles village typology.

The project was hand-built by local craftsmen, pupils and teachers working in collaboration with architect.

Trend-setting idea behind conventional classroom with student seating in a row in front of blackboard is discarded and educational program has been reset to build confidence in deprived students by introducing breakthrough idea of new classroom organization by providing whiteboards for each student & placing of openings.

Project Name: Vivekanand Kendra Vidyalay at Mothiyas inga, Assam

Mothiyasinga site is 20 kilometers south of Shivsagar in forest area. The school was conceived in line with a policy of decentralization and making education more accessible to those living in remote areas.

2.5 acre site without contours having densely existed full grown tall trees. Because of existing 7 to 8 m tall evergreen trees, penetration of natural sunlight up to the ground is very less. There are also some interwoven small areas which used to be brightly lit and acting like a light well.

Classrooms are placed under the existing trees, instead of placing in open empty space, so that open empty space becomes a sunlit courtyard for various common school activities.

Entire organic planning of a school which resembles village typology and is evolved by placing of built forms by on-site analysis of relation between existing naturally formed light wells and shaded areas.

Considering Assam’s heavy rainfall and humid climate, the traditional houses, their daily outfits and farming equipment—they are using extensively bamboo as a main material. In traditional construction technique, the walls are made up of bamboo and timber framing with mud plaster which allows air to percolate through. Commonly used traditional big conical cap (Jappi) covering entire body from rain and sun is made from tightly woven bamboo.

Bamboo material represents a bridge between past and present, creativity and tradition, cheap and precious, and transparency.

Innovative low-cost techniques that reinterpret traditional bamboo facades for classrooms.

Here they are fused into contemporary material steel that appears as interactive surface because of rotating panels. Children enjoy playing with rotating bamboo panels by displaying their individual work which turns into outside passage exhibition.

Ventilated pivoted bamboo panels creating play of inside and outside.

Each classroom breathes through porous bamboo walls, keeping the classroom ventilated and cool.

The project was hand-built by local craftsmen, pupils and teachers working in collaboration with architect.

Innovation and Transferability — Progress

Indigenous materials and technology fused with modern needs allows dissemination of knowledge to community. Considering Assam’s heavy rainfall and humid climate, sloping roof has been projected from all sides like commonly used traditional big conical cap (Jappi) covering entire body from rain and sun made from tightly woven bamboo.

Locally available bamboo is fused with steel framing to form rotating panels. These rotating panels act as informative and interactive surfaces in-between community and school. It allows us to create various patterns for various purposes and needs of the community.

Envelope of building has been challenged by introducing interactive and openable bamboo panels, instead of conventional envelope which allows flexible multiple openings.

Trend-setting idea behind conventional classroom with student seating in a row in front of blackboard is discarded, and educational program has been reset to build confidence in deprived students by introducing breakthrough idea of new classroom organization by providing whiteboards for each student and placing of openings.

Ethical Standards and Social Inclusion — People

As being a community school for their children, we received overwhelming responses while designing, which was beneficial as an architect to understand local traditions, ethics, and knowledge. Also, local employment is formed by involvement of village people in bamboo construction.

Resource and Environmental Performance — Planet

By placing classrooms under densely existing full-grown tall trees forming interwoven brightly lit small areas acts as a sunlit courtyard for various common school and community activities.

Also, this entire organic planning of a school which resembles village typology.

Each classroom breathes through porous bamboo walls, keeping the classroom ventilated and cool considering local climate.

The project was hand-built by local craftsmen, pupils, and teachers working in collaboration with architect.

Contextual and Aesthetic Impact — Place To improve existing contextual dark and cozy indoor spaces, we have used skylights, rotating perforated bamboo panels to allow adequate amount of light and ventilation throughout the day and also reduce the electricity gain.