architecture
Schematic view of the building with material palette.
SECTION THROUGH THE CENTRAL CORRIDOR
T
his school in Coimbatore, designed by KSM Architects, is exemplary in the way it has shown sensitivity towards the climate of the region. Located on the outskirts of the city of Coimbatore, the site for the school was adjacent to coconut farms and overlooks the surrounding Maradumalai Hills. The idea was to build the school over three phases. The architects also kept in mind the fact that the classrooms, which today accommodate about 3,000 students, would have some other functions in the years to come. Another factor to be catered to was the cost, which was to be kept to a minimum, with a focus on less maintenance expenditure. The design concept revolves around sensitivity to the climate. The city of Coimbatore experiences temperate climate for most of the year and
the rainfall it gets is quite minimal. These factors have been integrated in the design, which results in a comfortable space without taxing the environment. The built form incorporates maximum openings to the outside to allow as much natural light and ventilation as possible. As a result, the classrooms do not have windows, but just large openings with a safety grill. This feature also cut down on the electricity for lighting. To protect the indoor spaces from sun and rain, a three-floor high skin wall is placed 1.5m from the classroom walls. This wall is finished in exposed brick work and has pre-cast concrete louvers that beat the angle of the sun and cut direct glare. Also, the wall has a polycarbonate roof on top which prevents leakage of rain water during the rainy season. While on the outer side, the classrooms have a skin wall, on the other side, a 2.5m wide corridor shades them. As per the design strategy, the architects wanted to minimise on the painted surfaces and hence the building has exposed brickwork and unplastered concrete surfaces. The school has been planned as ‘fingers’ connected by a spine, which extends the open feel of the site in the building. The spaces between the ‘fingers’ are treated as landscaped courtyards and follow the same dimension module as the classrooms. These can also double up as outdoor classrooms. The single-loaded corridors along the fingers allow for cross ventilation in the classrooms. The classrooms are arranged such that the eastern and western façade are protected at all the times from sun while the other two sides are blank to accommodate the black board and avoid glare. The classrooms themselves have been designed with respect to the cone of vision and anthropometrics of a child. Built-in storage units have been designed along the corridor walls.