The Choice School Thiruvula

location:

Thiruvalla, Kerala, India

firm role:

Architecture

scale:

23,500 square meters

Ground + 4 Levels

awards:

2017 Finalist, PLAN Architecture Award

2016 AIA New York State Design Award

2016 Honorable Mention, AIA Long Island Archi Award

2016 American School & University

2016 Architizer A+ Award 

2016 SARA New York Design Award

2016 Architizer A+ Award

2015 Shortlisted, WAN Future Projects Award

 

synopsis:

The new educational community at The Choice School seeks to reimagine the architecture of education in India, creating a prototype that will revitalize rural communities and empower future generations of children by providing an academic hub that is ingrained in the community’s culture, heritage and geography.

Building on the already close-knit society of rural India, the prototype houses grades 1-12 in one building, fostering relationships between students of different ages and allowing for a continuum of learning.  The school will consist of a Primary School Block, Middle School Block and High School Block, each containing their own entry, school administration offices, classrooms, library and student commons. This block suggests a conceptual progression of independence as students move from a more dependently organized Primary School to a more independently organized High School.  As students grow intellectually, emotionally and socially, the spatial progression adapts to changing needs between younger and older students.

The new educational community at Thiruvalla provides an opportunity for students to engage at all levels through a design that offers defined and focused spaces for learning and development, as well as transitional spaces to encourage interaction and inquiry inspired by both interior and exterior environments.