In ancient times, students studied outdoors beneath large trees. This inspiring concept encourages a strong connection between children and nature. It offers a wonderful opportunity for children to learn essential life skills by running, jumping, sliding, exploring, and expressing themselves freely in an informal environment.
Located in Bhilwara, Rajasthan, India, this school occupies 2,612 square meters. The design focuses on creating a physical environment that supports the students’ learning experience, making the building and its surroundings an integrated educational tool.
The building’s exterior design draws inspiration from the triangular cheese strips seen in cartoons, featuring small holes on both sides. Similarly, the facade incorporates multiple small perforations, blending function with playful aesthetics.
This approach provides children with a dynamic environment to run, jump, slide, play, and explore freely, fostering their growth in an informal and engaging setting.
Each floor slab is staggered to create small planting areas, forming an organic structural shape. From afar, the building resembles a sloping garden, seamlessly integrating green spaces into its architecture.
Near the main entrance, an open-air theater serves as a versatile space for morning prayers, plays, and performances. Due to limited outdoor space on the site, the roof was redesigned into a sloping garden connecting all floors. The flat roof area doubles as a bicycle lane, maximizing usability.
The first slope features two large custom slides. The second slope, the longest in the building, includes obstacles for added challenge. The third slope benefits from ample sunlight and houses vegetable gardens for each class, where children can cultivate their own plants, fostering a unique bond with nature. At the roof’s highest point, a jungle gym allows kids to climb, swing, and enjoy panoramic views of the city.
The building spans three floors in total, featuring an interconnected architectural layout with two courtyards that allow soft, filtered sunlight to enter the corridors.
These courtyards reduce heat gain and promote efficient air circulation, which is essential in the region’s harsh climate. The interior remains cool and well-lit through natural airflow and diffused daylight entering from above.
△ Bottom floor plan
The classrooms are shaped organically, deviating from typical rectangular forms. The double-height spaces are transformed into multifunctional mezzanines where children can play, relax, and unwind. Our design philosophy for children aged three to seven centers on making them excited and happy to attend school.
Technical Drawings
△ First floor plan
△ Second floor plan
△ Roof plan
△ South elevation view
△ East elevation view
△ Section diagrams
Project Information
Architect: SferaBlu Architects
Area: 2,600 square meters
Project Year: 2018
Photographer: Umang Shah
Manufacturers: Mapei, PUJAN Construction, TOSHIBA, ZWCAD
Lead Architect: SferaBlu Architects
Design Team: Naman Shah, Dhruven Vadhwana, Tarjani Parikh, Ninad Deole, Binal Shah
Client: Sangam Elementary School
Engineer: Jitendra Chaudhary
Landscape Design: Dipen Kharidia
Structural Consultant: Rutvik Dave
MEP Consultant: Aqua Utility Designs and Management Private Limited
HVAC Consultant: Minesh Shah
Municipal Construction Party: Rahul Jain
Furniture Supplier: Naran Mistry
HVAC Construction Party: Yogi Engineers
Logo Design: Antara Bhargava
Children’s Equipment: Uday Krishna
Aluminum Window Consultant: Sanjay Vasani
English Text: SferaBlu Architects Team
Spanish Language Case: Victor Garia
City: Bhilwara
Country: India
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