Schools beyond education: redefining the image of an institution

Abstract

As developing countries move towards advancement, their metropolitan cities are faced with urbanization, a phenomenon marked by population explosion with consequences such as sprawl. Rural villages are engulfed in the process, and thus designated to be ‘urban villages’ – a term contradictory to its inherent characteristics. Conversely, these villages provide economic advantages such as inexpensive housing, but their infrastructure undergoes steady dilapidation. There is thus, a lack of mixed-use multifunctional facilities which can cater to a multitude of users to support this growth. It then becomes imperative to re-evaluate the premises on which communal functions are designed & built, to ensure maximum benefit is availed by all. This paper reassesses the ways in which a school can be redesigned as a learning space in the 21st century, while strengthening its spirit as an institutional building in the context of an urban village in New Delhi, India. This is tackled on two fronts: the first questions redundancy of design of the learning environment which was established in the industrial era 150 years ago to emulate factory life. While learning methods have adapted to changing times, learning environments have remained stagnant. The second questions redundancy of the built environment of schools during after-hours, weekends and vacations. Taking these into account, the resultant is a building that is used for 18% of the hours in a year. Thus, the school complex presents itself as a solution and opportunity to serve the larger community with its multifaceted program and strong public character, with functions catering to different sections of society. These schools would not just provide for educative spaces that enable multiple modes of teaching and learning, but serve as anchors of mixed-use community hubs.