MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (BA Major Project)
Location: Medan, Indonesia
"The aim of this Project, is not only to create a nurturing learning environment for Indonesian Kids, but also to create a new type of school, where kids would be able to express themselves, collaborate, explore, and discover their own unique skills and potentials in an environment that is active, collaborative, flexible, and discovery- Intriguing." - Jocelyn Winata, The designer of My Elementary School.
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Volumetric Diagram
The existing volume is consisted of two building with connecting bridge on each story. The new volume acts as the connector between those two blocks with the tubular volume acts as the core circulation and core meeting point that will encourage movements, and collaboration
Then new volume is being substracted based on its main entrance and also visibility to the courtyard. This has resulted a meandering circulation that leads to the core tubular volume of the building.
The new volume is created with the ideology of creating more dynamic and irregular volume that represents the overall concept of the project. Further, the new volume is also aimed at building connection between the outdoor and indoor through an open and naturally-ventilated atria.
Concept
Active : Moving around dynamically (crawl, run, climb, jump) has been proven to improve kids’ cognitive development.
Collaborative : Shared Spaces, Cluster-type classrooms, and Accidental Meeting Points are aimed at fostering multi-age and multi-disciplinary collaborations.
Flexible : Multi-function spaces, flexible furniture, and movable partitioning systems are aimed at meeting the diverse needs of the users in the daily scenarios.
Discovery-Intriguing : Both left brain and right brain facilities are provided to cater diverse learners, in an environment that works best for them (Quiet or Collaborative).
Active
Concept Break Down
The idea relies upon providing medium where kids could just move freely and dynamically as part of their daily scenarios inside the school environment, which according to research, is one of the essential factors that has been missing in today's educational facility that has resulted fidgeting and unfocused kids in classroom.
"This lack of movement of kids, combined with unrelenting sitting routine in the classroom, is wreaking havoc on children’s minds and body"(Hanscom, 2016, p. xx)
Collaborative
As Vygotsky (1934) said, “two minds are better than one.” He might add, “Better yet, how about three or four?”
Collaboration, is essential to be fostered on the early age in this globalized era. kids should be able to collaborate not only with classmates, but also seniors, juniors, and other kids with different interests and hobbies.
Flexible
As a project-based and personalized learning school, flexibility in the space planning, and design, are essential. The school should be flexible enough to cater diverse and unexpected scenarios every day life could possibly bring so that optimum results could be achieved.
One of the most prominent example of flexibility in the school is shown within the classroom.
Discovery- Intriguing
Every kid is unique and special in their own ways. In this project, the designer tries to provide everything for everyone. Left brain (Maker space, science lab, educational garden) and Right Brain (art, music) are provided to cater diverse learners in an environment that works best for them. (Quiet Study for concentration work, and collaborative for collaboration and team work).
School Daily Scenario:
Every morning, kids would gather in their own classrooms for short briefing, and for the rest of the day, they will move around between different zones independently to accomplish their projects.
Design Development Process
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