located in the rural village of lavale in india, the new avasara academy school building has been realized as part of the growing township of knowledge city. its unique positioning takes advantage of locally-available resources, and despite being distinctive in comparison to any other buildings in the area, the architecture is respectful to its rural surroundings, environmentally friendly and supports the development of spearheading education for young women in india.
the concrete structure has been left open with only bamboo shading to provide a sense of enclosure
image © ariel huber
the architectural design was conceived by mumbai-based firm case design, meanwhile transsolar klimaengineering calculated the solutions to allow the building to achieve its net-zero energy status. together, both teams developed a response for the 4.3 acre campus which grows out from the hillside. a collection of simple structures arranged around an informal series of walkways, courtyards, gardens and terraces. the largest building hosts the classrooms and facilities that drive the learning experience for the students.
usable space is planned around the central circulation
image © ariel huber
the rooms have been based around the perimeter of the building, allowing the central core to be completely open and serve solely for circulation purposes. in turn, these centrally located ‘exhaust cavities’ are integrated in the structural core of the building and eventually extends out as solar chimneys above roof level to passively drive air flow, and provide cooling, throughout. pastel colors painted on the ceilings of each floor give the detailed concrete construction and stone building vibrancy, while the mostly open-façade is covered in panels of bamboo shading.
the school is uniquely positioned to take advantage of locally shared resources while establishing its own identity as
a leader in the education
image © ariel huber
with a high ambition and a modest budget, the building achieves a comfortable internal condition without the use of any mechanical system despite the warm and humid western climate of india. along with the climatic responsive massing, strategic program placement, the study of air flow and the use of locally sourced bamboo shades; these were all components that allowed the building to use architectural and structural infrastructure for a year-round comfortable learning and living environment. taking cues from local and other examples of academic, domestic, public and sacred spaces, the architecture of avasara academy responds to site, program and climate, addressing the needs of the community to provide a sanctuary for learning.
the ceilings of each floor has been painted in a different color
image © ariel huber
outside air is drawn through a series of earth ducts, where it is passively pre-cooled, before being supplied into the
classrooms and livings spaces
image © case design
spaces looks out to the landscape beyond
image © case design
bamboo provides shading and adds privacy to the mostly exposed building
image © ariel huber
the 4.3 acre campus is located 10 km west of pune and roughly 145 km southeast of mumbai
image © ariel huber
solar chimneys, uses heat from the sun and are designed to passively drive the entire air flow, and provide cooling
diagram © transsolar klimaengineering
architecture in india (131 articles)
'future towers' marks MVRDV's first completed project in india
india unveils the world's tallest statue
industrial style royal enfield garage cafe in goa is covered with portuguese hand-painted tiles, by studio lotus
this factory in india has a sunken void that allows monsoon waters to safely flood the site
sandstone house in ahmedabad, india, by SPASM features secret gardens
office building in ahmedabad, india, by FLXBL resembles an origami model
school architecture and design (381 articles)
kaloustian's 'smart center' embraces the landscape of armenia in smooth, organic form
architecture school in miami opens warped concrete studio building by arquitectonica
schmidt hammer lassen connects dutch university's facilities with crisscrossing stairways
why liz diller and kazuyo sejima decided this brazil school was the world's best new building
two translucent cylinders of wooden louvres extend the design college campus in ramat gan, by geotectura
herzog & de meuron-designed university opens as part of moscow's skolkovo masterplan
architecture news
architects turn bangkok townhouses into modern multilayered office
#architecture
the interiors take advantage of the industrial look of the raw concrete structure, adding glossy elements and green lively splashes to contrast the strict mood.
the interiors take advantage of the industrial look of the raw concrete structure, adding glossy elements and green lively splashes to contrast the strict mood.
this prefabricated shelter clings to a mountain peak in the italian alps
#architecture
at an altitude of 3,290 meters (10,794 feet), the bivouac seeks to encourage the exploration of the isolated area and its nearby mountaineering routes.
at an altitude of 3,290 meters (10,794 feet), the bivouac seeks to encourage the exploration of the isolated area and its nearby mountaineering routes.
TOP 10 reader submissions of 2018 – public spaces
#architecture
from a water sports center in denmark to a dim sum restaurant in hong kong, we highlight 10 of the most impactful public spaces from our 2018 readers submission.
from a water sports center in denmark to a dim sum restaurant in hong kong, we highlight 10 of the most impactful public spaces from our 2018 readers submission.
sou fujimoto's 'white tree' grows to its full height in the south of france
#architecture
with the mixed-use tower nearing completion, photographer vincent hecht visited the site to document its progress.
with the mixed-use tower nearing completion, photographer vincent hecht visited the site to document its progress.
I have visited the school and really found the architecture very interesting, unique and environment friendly. Kudos to the teams who imagined and executed this.