Learning+Space

Learning + Space Designing a school demonstrating spaces that nurtures the process of education

Amrit Sharad Narkar M.Arch

Guided by Prof. Vishwanath Kashikar

Master of Architecture Faculty of Architecture

March, 2016

Dedicated to,

I would like to dedicate this thesis to my Aai and Aanna for always backing and encouraging me through all my decisions I took and being constant inspiration for my work

U N D E R TAK I N G

I, Amrit Sharad Narkar, the author of the dissertation titled Learning + Space: Designing a school demonstrating spaces that nurtures the process of education, hereby declare that this is an independent work of mine, carried out towards partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of M.Arch degree in Architectural Design at the Faculty of Architecture, CEPT University, Ahmedabad.

This work has not been submitted to any other institution for the award of any degree/diploma

Amrit Sharad Narkar (PA100314) Date:13/05/2016 Place: Ahmedabad

Disclaimer This document describes work undertaken as part of the M.Arch degree in Sustainable Architecture at the Faculty of Architecture, CEPT University. All views and opinions expressed therein remain the sole responsibility of the author, and do not necessarily represent those of CEPT University, the Dissertation Guide(s), or the Dissertation Committee.

Abstract There is a very close relationship of learning and space; built and unbuilt, as they both influence each other in both tangible and intangible way. The spatial configuration and character plays a significant role in influencing the learning process. It also contributes the method and nature of teaching, by its physical response to the context it places itself, the ideology it follows and the socio-cultural fabric it gets stitched into. There are various architectural elements like the courtyard and in-between spaces which always have been a part of the built environment in a built or unbuilt form. When these elements realized as an important tool for learning, it got explored further and became an integral part of a design of an educational environment. This thesis begins with developing spatial narratives in context of learning through analyzing various education centers, which employs pedagogical approach which uses the built and unbuilt environment as a tool of education.

Schools are always designed with taking the considerations of the contents like the curriculum and the way the classes are being conducted. The child is a very curious and keen observer, attempting to approach designing of school from a child’s point of view will further develop the relationship between learning and the spatial narratives, which will also provide resources for these curiosities to flourish in an educational setup.

“To understanding a child we have to watch him at play, study him in his different moods; we cannot project upon him our own prejudices, hopes and fears, or mould him to fit pattern of our desires. If we are constantly judging the child according to our personal likes and dislikes, we are bound to create barriers and hindrances in our relationship with the child and his relationship with the world”1 These findings are further demonstrated in Krishnamurti foundation of India school which is based on philosophy of Dr. Jiddu Krishnamurti who stresses on allowing children exploration for better learning. This philosophy also considers the presence of nature in a learning environment, which is a vital tool of developing individual pattern of learning and exploration. These considerations further helps in exploring the findings and articulating them into a physical and pedagogical context that exploits the situation. Design of Krishnamurti School in presence of nature in the campus further enhances the use of these gestures as tool of learning.

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Krishnamurti, J, Education and the significance of life - London Victor Gollanez Ltd. 1962

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Aknowledgement

I take this as an opportunity to express my deepest gratitude towards CEPT University and the people who work rigorously to keep it working. It has been an excellent platform and helped me to explore and grow as a person by providing most amazing learning experience of my life.

I am thankful to my thesis guide Prof. Vishwanath Kashikar for being patient enough with my cluttered thoughts and help channelizing my ideas into a thesis and developing my understanding of my subject.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude towards Dr. A Srivatsan for his constant inputs towards structuring my thesis through extensive discussions and the amount of time and efforts he offered for my thesis. I am also grateful to him for introducing me to various other fruitful sources which contributed to my work.

I am thankful to Krishnamurti Foundation of India for their productive inputs in developing my understanding of my subject and sharing valuable information with me.

It is my privilege to express my sincere regards to all my Mentors and Professors who have contributed to make my learning experience worth during these four semester. I would like to specially thank Ar. Gurjit Singh Matharoo and Prof. Rajesh Sagara for developing a curiosity to explore and confidence to trust the instinct, Prof. Miki Desai and Ar. Sachin Bandukwala for helping me develop an eye for reading and learning from things to develop an understanding of a whole.

Time in CEPT University was the most memorable one I have ever had. I would like to express my sincere thanks, as it wouldn’t have been possible without my friends Palaksha, Pranjal, Amit, Aswin, Harshoday, Hrushita, Sandesh, Vidisha, Brijesh, Madhur and Vishal.

I would like to specially thanks Kruti for always being there supporting me at every stage through extensive discussion on topic and helping me keep myself organised throughout. Last but not least my parents, brother Shashank, his wife Bhakti and my niece Kavya for being a constant support one way or the other in my journey of Architecture till date.

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Contents Abstract i Acknowledgement ii Contents iv List of Figures vii 1 Thesis Proposal 1 1.1 Hypothesis

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1.2 Introduction

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1.3 Aims and Objectives

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1.4 Methodology 4 2 Learning and Space 5 2.1 Educational Ideologies

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2.2 Learning over Teaching

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2.3 Existing Architectural Features 10 3 Case Studies 11 3.1 The school, chennai

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3.2 Nandanam school, Auroville

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3.3 Marudam Farm School, Tiruvannamalai 15 4 Extracting Architectural Gestures 17 5 Demonstrating the findings 21 5.1 Site

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5.2 Connecting the words of Krishnamurti with Architecture

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2.4 Explorations

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2.5 Demonstration

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List of Figures Fig 1,2,3,4 - Sequence of the spaces which unfolded as I ran across the dark corridor of my school which opened into a bright naturally lite courtyard

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5 - Broken stone wall 3 6 - Worn-out Plaster 3 7 - Last School, Auroville 3 8 - CEPT, Ahmedabad 3 9 - Last School, Auroville

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10 - St. Xavier’s School, Ahmedabad 3 1 - In-Between spaces 10 2 - Stepped sitting 10 3 - Kund 10 4 - Courtyard 10 1 - The School, Kfi, Plan 11 2 - Classroom Plan and Sections 11 3 - Diagram explaining the change in length of transition

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4- Meandering Pathway 12 5 - Section of corridor space in front of library

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6 - Plan of corridor space outside library 12 7 - Plan of Nandanam School 13 8,9,10- Section through classroom spaces

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11 - section and plan of play area in schooll corridor

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12 - Plan and section of volume modulation space in class

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13 - Plan and section of class with paintwall and window seating

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14 - Location plan of Marudam School 15 15 - Site Plan of the school 15 16 - view of entrance courtyard of schoot vi

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17 - View of gathering courtyard of school

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18 - View of classroom where tree becomes a part of space

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1 - Map Showing Location of Site 22 2 - Map showing Water-bodiesin the surrounding

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3 - Map showing Green Patches and reserved forest in the surrounding

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4 - Site plan showing connection of site from the 200ft road

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Illustration 5 - I tried to express the paths through a dense undulating ground.

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Illustration 6 - I used broken geometric shapes which expands and contracts the space. This expansion and contraction leads to the moment in space and exposure to varying volumetric modulation inspiring the use of the space. 26 Illustration 7 - I expressed overlapping of various patterns of element where the flow of ground can be completely negated by flow of overhead element and flow various spaces flows in to each other causing formation of new space. 26 Illustration 8 - the geometric spaces are fields of experience this illustrates how allowing opportunities to choose from the range of fields of experience and its sequencing can develop wide varieties of spatial narratives. 26 9 - Model exploration showing overall siteplanning idea

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10 - Model showing structures inside the woods

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11 - Model showing water taken insde the campus by digging

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12 - Sketches Explloration of Dark spaces which will instigate appreciation of the presence of light

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13 - Sketches showing Exp;oration 2 using planes in the widerness

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14, 15, 16 - Cardboard Model exploration in full site

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17, 18, 19 - Model exploration of presence of built form in the school merged and enclosing the surrounding making the non building space a classroom 31 20, 21, 22, 23 - sketches exploring the presence of built form in the school

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24 - Sketches showing exploration of classroom as an entity and the understanding the core of presenceof the school 34 25, 26, 27 - Model exploration of classroom cluster

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28- Section schowing areas for crawling activities and levels for interaction of space

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29 - Explorationsof classroom with denser cluster of classes

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30 - Plan showing arrangement of working area in red around gathering area in yellow

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31- Plan showing entrapping of natural elements inside the cluster of classroom

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32 - Section showing roof profile which will help in capturing various components of the natural elements

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33, 34, 35, 36 - Various parts of the element captured through various size location and profile of opening 38 37, 38, 39 - landscape mounds for meandering paths and scattered transitions through

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40 - Design Plan demonstrating various spatial narratives developed for encouraging curiiosity of exploration and learning 39 41 - Plan showing the entrance area under dense vegetation

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42 - idea of blurring the built into the landscape thus deminishing boundaries

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43 - Section through the dense vegetation showing the spatial quality with diferent trees of different types 40 44 - Plan highlighting the common area and the mud caves wall

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45 - Spatial Plan of the mud caves wall showing various range of spaces in the wall and also the change in quality and intensiy of light inside 40 46 - Schematic Section through the top of wall

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47 - Schematic view of wall showing space for appreciating sky

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48 - Schematic Section of mud wall with stone foundation

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49 - Section through the common area and the mud cave wall

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53 - Plan highlighting Meandering pathways across the site

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54 - Section showing opening of meandering pathways into an open to sky area

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55 - View showing and various activities of children in meandering pathway

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50 Plan highlighting the location of intervals through out the campus

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51 - Schematic section through interval showing the quality of light through the opening on top which also lets in the rain to create connection with natural element 42 52 - Section through Classroom and Interval in between two spaces

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56 - Plan highlighting various location of merging realms where landscape crawls up on the built circulation area 43 57 - Model showing the ground rising and covering the circulation deck.

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58 - Schematic plan showing the landscape encroaching the cricuation deck providing opportunity to get into the wilderness around 43

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Thesis Proposal

1.1 Hypothesis This thesis would like to investigate “How learning environment (Built or Unbuilt) augment learning or becomes a part of learning?� and develop various spatial narratives in context of an educational environment

Fig 1,2,3,4 - Sequence of the spaces which unfolded as I ran across the dark corridor of my school which opened into a bright naturally lite courtyard

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1.2 Introduction As a child, school has always been one of the difficult places that I have encountered. This system was further enhanced by the spatial arrangement, where the walls intimidating, discouraging the view to outside and back or side facing the only windows to outside. The content taught was given with predefined results and to be accepted without questioning or exploring it further to deepen the knowledge. Now, when I think of school, there is duality to the space exists that in my mind, where there is another set of experiences I had at that time. That was the time where I experienced architecture without pondering about it. I can still remember myself running through the narrow corridors opening up into a double heighted courtyard, those slippery floor surfaces in monsoon, textures of wooden railing of the stairs as I gripped it and of wall with smooth plaster and rough where plaster got worn out, act of climbing on trees to eat mangoes, the broken part of stone wall on which we used to sit to eat our tiffin, the feeling of the cool surface of the stone slate after mopping it. Memories like these contain the deepest architectural experiences that I know. They are the reservoir of the architectural atmosphere and series of images that I can connect my schooling to. Traveling across India, I have visited schools established by various thinkers on education to propagate their ideas. Every time I visited these schools, I have experienced the similar joy which I used to have while playing at my school, in learning and the curiosity of exploration. During this, I frequently revisited memories of my school although I cannot trace any special form, there is a hint of fullness and richness which makes me think that I have felt this before. This has incited me to look into philosophies, where the attempts were made to imbibe joy and curiosity into the educational environment. These institutions has evolved various pedagogies to instigate characters that also considers the physical environment as an integral part of learning, taking from it and providing opportunities for self-learning and explorations.

Going ahead from this point, I started investigating into “How learning environment (Built or Unbuilt) augment learning Or becomes a part of learning?�

To develop on this, I will be critically investigating 2

schools in order to understand the role of various elements and features in the process of learning.

There are various existing features or elements which have been explored before. The idea of in-between spaces which become an important feature explored in learning spaces by Louis I Kahn, has played a vital role to enhance the learning experience. These features have always existed, but when they were realized, it provided opportunities to explore them further for becoming an integral part of learning environment. Schools are designed often keeping in mind the content to be delivered and the pedagogical approach employed to deliver it, but very little attention is given to what a child wants to learn. A child is a very keen observer of what is around him/her, which is the core of an individual development that is not considered. As a child, we were always made to follow the pattern made for us to follow with predefined results creating a barrier towards exploration. We are again constructing the same proven and guided pattern in their mind, denying the possibility of exploration by taking risks. And this intent is strongly reflected in the architecture of these institutions.

The question arises is, “In the process of these discoveries in child’s interaction with nature and the environment around him/her, how does one facilitate a child to be a keen observer through architecture and what is it that makes a learning space beyond a 3-dimensional aspect of the space.”

This project will focus on answering the questions, which arose during my study. It will conclude with an Architectural Design Proposal which will demonstrate a built environment of a school with spaces that will instigate or facilitate the learning and explorations. For the Project, I will be using Pedagogical approach of Krishnamurti Foundation School, which is based on J. Krishnamurti’s philosophy on education built environment as one of the major tool of learning.

7 - Last School, Auroville

8 - CEPT, Ahmedabad 9 - Last School, Auroville

10 - St. Xavier’s School, Ahmedabad

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5 - Broken stone wall

6 - Worn-out Plaster

1.4 Methodology

1.3 Aims and Objectives To understand how learning environment agument learning or facilitate a child to be a keen observer trough architectural elements and gestures towards the site

U n d e r s t a n d i n g of relationship between

LEARNING andS P A C E

• To understand how learning environment (Built or Unbuilt) augment learning or becomes a part of learning.

• To understand child’s relationship with the environment and the responses to various feature • To identify various features and parameters responsible to encourage, facilitate and nurture learning.

• To understand feature and responses for further enhancement if necessary • To demonstrate the developed feature in an built environment of the school

Understanding need of Education Education Ideologies Learning over Teaching Architectural responses to Learning

CASE STUDIES The School, KFI, Chennai

Nandanam school, Auroville

S t u d y

o f

ELEMENTS

Marudam school, Thiruvenamallai

Exploratory studies of the Architectural Elements derived from Case Studies in isolation

Understanding Krishnamurti’s Idea on Education Exploring the elements through understanding krishnamurti’s point of view Developing the elements of school considering the findings of those elements and architectural gestures Articulating these elements in reponse to the site for development of a design solution

Demonstration of

ELEMENTS 4

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Learning and Space When a child plays with an object one can see the curiosity to understand that object and in that process of understanding it, that child uses his/her own methods and all senses by seeing, holding, hitting it on the floor, tasting, chewing and throwing it. This involves a very rigorous investigation, which also develops the sense of questioning of that object which the child enjoys. Sometimes, when showed few new possibilities using his/her own understanding the child comes up with something which even we haven’t thought of. This happens because he/she does not have fear of failing or getting judge by others.The same child when grows older starts losing his/her curiosity, the rigor of investigation as he/ she enters the system of public education, which is designed universally to produce a work force with similar mentalities.

This system judges thought through lenses of right and wrong denying the possibility to explore. The child is burdened with accumulation of information and facts leaving very little space for exploring their hidden potentials; which should be the primary intention of education as Swami Vivekanand quoted “Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man, therefore, a teacher’s job is only to remove obstruction from the pupil’s path… Education is not a mere accumulation of information but a comprehensive training for life.”

Education has always played a fundamental role in development of the humankind, role of which is to explore, discover, to know the known and develop an understanding of oneself with respect to the surrounding, it is a collective process of literation, creativity, kinaesthetic learning and discovering.

During the course of Industrialisation educational institutes were set up which were aimed towards training fleets of craftsmen which can serve industries. This education system concentrated on literacy neglecting the other parameters necessary for holistic education. Current education system delineates a learner from curious exploration of various possibilities and rigorous investigation of information he/she is burdened with. it is made to be accepted dogmatically.without creating a connection with the content. The pedagogical approaches employed were also very linear and detached from the context bluring the connection with the place and its resources for learning.

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2.2 Educational Ideologies Lots of thinkers and philosphers have contributed to the field of education. Their views has influenced establishment of various institutions and some of them started their own schools to propogate their ideas and philosophies. Various ideas expressed by these thinkers lead to vast amount of exploration in developing various curriculum and content of teaching. their proposed methodologies leadd to development of various pedagogical approaches of education.

His speech at Conference held on education in Wardha on 22nd Oct, 1937 touched on many points that are still as relevant as ever, fifty years later :

Mahatma Gandhi Nai Talim

Education must teach all individuals to play their part in the society without losing their individual character1 - Mahatma Gandhi

1 http://www.mkgandhi.org/articles/ gandhian-educational-system.html

”The present system of education is not only wasteful but positively harmful. Boys are lost to their parents, to their village, to the traditional skills. They become helplessly dependent on minor clerical jobs; moreover they pick up evil habits and urban snobbery, and learn to despise the honest manual labour of the village on which we all depend.

Far from being opposed to literary education, I want to show the way to give it....to make our children true representatives of our culture, of the true genius of our nation. As for ‘exploiting,’ do we burden the child when we save him from disaster? The children will become self-confident and brave as they help to pay for their education by their own labour. Why do I not lay stress religious instruction? Because this system is to be common to all, Hindu, Muslim, Parsi, Christian, and I am teaching them all practical religion, the religion of selfhelp. The whole plan springs out of non-violence, it is an integral part of the discipline of non-violence and truth”.

• Education for character building, education thought mother-tongue.

• Place of manual work in education and co-education.

• Moral education through character and good conduct.

• Educational of soul should be imparted thought teacher’s (model) life rather than through books.

• Health education for physical fitness and health and insistence for simple life.

• Importance for self-help and self-reliance, education for thoroughness (strength), education for citizenship.

• Education for self-help and self-reliance, education for personality development.

• Education for avoiding caste and colour distinction, education for vocation useful for life.

• Education for equality of all the religions, education based (founded) on truth, non-violence and justice”.

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Rabindranath Tagore was a prominent poet and profound thinker. He was born in Calcutta on 6 May 1860. Although he was not educated in any university, he was a clearly a man of learning. He had his own original ideas about education, which led him to establish an educational institution named Vishva Bharati in Shantiniketan

Rabindranath Tagore

Self Realization: Spiritualism is the essence of humanism; this concept has been reflected in Tagore’s educational philosophy.

Manifestation of personality depends upon the selfrealization and spiritual knowledge of individual.

Intellectual Development: By intellectual development he means development of imagination, creative free thinking, constant curiosity and alertness of the mind. Child should be free to adopt his own way learning which will lead to all round development.v Physical Development: He gave much importance to sound and healthy physique.

Love for humanity: Tagore held that the entire universe is one family.

Education can teach people to realize oneness of the globe. Education for international understanding and universal brotherhood is another important aim of his educational philosophy.

Freedom: Freedom is considered as an integral aspect of human development. Education is a man-making process, it explores the innate power exists within the man.

Education is basically a social process which involves how the students develop as an individual and in group relations.1 - Rabindranath Tagore

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http://www.worldwidejournals.com/ijar/file.

Co-relation of Objects: Co-relation exists with God, man and nature. A peaceful world is only possible when correlation between man and nature will be established.

Mother tongue as the medium of Instruction: Language is the true vehicle of self-expression. Man can freely express his thought in his mother-tongue.

Dr. Jiddu Krishnamurti

"Surely a school is a place where one learns about the totality, the wholeness of life. Academic excellence is absolutely necessary, but a school includes much more than that. It is a place where both the teacher and the taught explore not only the outer world, the world of knowledge, but also their own thinking, their behaviour.

"From this they begin to discover their own conditioning and how it distorts their thinking. This conditioning is the self to which such tremendous and cruel importance is given. Freedom from conditioning and its misery begins with this awareness. It is only in such freedom that true learning can take place. In this school it is the responsibility of the teacher to sustain with the student a careful exploration into the implications of conditioning and thus end it."

The Point of Education: Education is essentially the art of learning, not only from books, but from the whole movement of life,learning about the nature of the intellect, its dominance, its activities, its vast capacities and its destructive power,learning it not from a book but from the observation of the world about you without theories, prejudices and values Principle of Method: If one really has something to say, the very saying of it creates its own style; but learning a style without inward experiencing can only lead to superficiality.

Schooling without Competition and Comparison: When A is compared to B, who is clever, bright, assertive, that very comparison destroys A. This destruction takes the form of competition, of imitation and conformity to the patterns set by B. This breeds‌ antagonism, jealousy, anxiety and even fear; and this becomes the condition in which A lives for the rest of his life, always measuring, always comparing psychologically and physically.

Education in true sense is understanding oneself, for it is within each one of us that the whole of existence is gathered1 - J Krishnamurti

1 Krishnamurti, Jiddu. Education and the significance of life. London, 1962. Print.

Learning through Observation: Learning is pure observation – observation which is not continuous and which then becomes memory, but observation from moment to moment – not only of the things outside you but also of that which is happening inwardly; to observe without the observer. Look not with your mind but with your eyes.Then you find out that the outside is the inside that the observer is the observed. if you want to be free,you have to find out for yourself what it is to be orderly, what it is to be punctual, kind, generous, unafraid.

The discovery of all that is discipline. Freedom is not from something or avoidance of constraint. It has no opposite; it is of itself, per se.

Clarity of perception is freedom from the self.

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2.3 Learning over Teaching

Great deal of work has been done in improving the content of the education.

Various pedagogical approaches has been explored by various Boards of education and Institutions to deliver the education of very high standards which will help in developing a child with better abilities and understanding this system is well defined with clear outcome. But I believe because of these structured curriculum at schooling level where a child is oozing with curiosity of various things a very keen observer, there is some loss of personal interest of the student. As very little scope is left to explore their own interest which even Dr. J. Krishnamurti stresses on when he says “To understanding a child we have to watch him at play, study him in his different moods; we cannot project upon him our own prejudices, hopes and fears, or mould him to fit pattern of our desires. If we are constantly judging the child according to our personal likes and dislikes, we are bound to create barriers and hindrances in our relationship with the child and his relationship with the world.�

- J. Krishnamurti

For this thesis I would be looking from the child’s point of view into an educational environment to extract various spatial narratives from the space and develop architectural gestures which can encourage or facilitate link to resources to develop on their interest.

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2.4 Existing Architectural Features “Schools began with a man under a tree who did not know he was a teacher, sharing his realization with a few others who did not know they were students.” 1 Louis I Kahn designed his architecture around such imagined conversations embodying the desires of the individuals who would gather within them. The architecture was designed to instigate such conversations. He stressed on it while saying “I make a space as an offering and do not designate what it is to be used for the use should be inspired.”2 He spoke about the in-between spaces as most potent space for range of interaction at various level. It was one of an Architectural gesture he explored to further enhance the interaction. There are various such gestures already exists in an educational environment which are being consciously used like the courtyard, stepped sitting, plinth under the trees, opening into a green space etc.

1 - In-Between spaces

2 - Stepped sitting

3 - Kund

4 - Courtyard

1 2

http://www.arthistory.upenn.edu/themakingofaroom/catalogue/section5.html McCarter, Robert. Louis I Kahn.2005.print

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Case Studies

3.1 The school, Chennai

The cases chosen for study are some of the schools which considers learning over teaching and uses its environment as a vital tool for their various activities. These cases are also chosen in 3 categories. One with a big campus, another one with very small campus and other one with contextually strategic location. The study is focused on extracting various spatial narrative analyse those narratives to extract architectural gestures out of them to explore them further.

The school premises is very densely vegetated with variety of trees providing shade from sun, ranges of fragrances, fruits, bio-diversity and range of natural setup for gathering play. It also allows to conduct class outdoor and incorporating surrounding into learning.

The cluster of classroom stands out in a contrast with very minimum connection to outside. It is very inward looking space. One enters this from an open space with dense vegetation into a central space which is sparsely lit up which is used for smaller gathering as the four moderately lightened class opens up into it.

1 - The School, Kfi, Plan 2 - Classroom Plan and Sections

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A meandering path which younger kids takes to go to their respective classrooms is one of the important part of the school routine. This path is very densely vegetated with variety of plants and trees. The meandering shape makes it longer than if it was straight which allows children to spend some time together discussing or simply getting adjusted to the place. They collect fallen Arjuna fruits, dried leaf of peepal, seed pods of cassia out of curiosity. They wait in shadows as the season changes and trees shed their leaves their waiting area changes. Sometime they halt in morning sun to get warm in winter.

3 - Diagram explaining the change in length of transition 4- Meandering Pathway 5 - Section of corridor space in front of library 6 - Plan of corridor space outside library

Corridor outside Library is a wide one, a colonnade divides the space into two and also develops a shaded and comparatively more shaded corridor space. This also provides the wide range of pockets for interaction and personal spaces to read peacefully. The part towards the outside are mostly occupied by the people who are sitting alone which also creates a connection with the surrounding around it.

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3.2 Nandanam school, Auroville The school is located in smaller plot of land surrounded by dense vegetation. This school focuses majorly on the sensorial development and expression. As the site don’t allow much to explore in terms of campus cause of restrictive size, the built environment becomes a major tool of exploration.

The place has a very bright sunlight for most part of year the structure explores range of lights in developing range of spaces and experiences.

Roof is curved to soften the light. The play of volumes also facilitates various functions.

7 - Plan of Nandanam School 8,9,10- Section through classroom spaces

11 - section and plan of play area in schooll corridor

12 - Plan and section of volume modulation space in class

13 - Plan and section of class with paintwall and window seating

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There is extensive use of various textures in the school. Various outdoor elements, finishing texture became part of tactile learning and play without toys. The openings are made of various sizes at various heights which kids use for playing reading and relaxing.

The walls become one of the most exploited element in this school which are used for painting, where children pin their paper and paint.

Different types of textures used for varying purposes.

The thickness is kept very thick which allows it to be used for sitting which further develop connection to outside.

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3.3 Marudam Farm school, Tiruvannamalai

This school is located in outskirts of tiruvannamalai town. The site is one of the farmland developed into a school premises. As the place has ample amount of play area around it the premises don’t have a big playground as the farms becomes the place to play and explore. The structures are made up of mud stones and rammed earth excavated from the site itself.

14 - Location plan of Marudam School

15 - Site Plan of the school

There are no classrooms different spaces are occupied by different groups of student according to the schedule. The spaces are also designed to encourage use of outside more than inside. Range of spaces with varying setups are achieved for various purposes and also to cater to climatic comforts.

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The entrance to the school is a big courtyard with range of trees and creepers climbing on to structure where the faรงade have these elements which will support these creepers to climb and take over the built mass the ground is stones rammed in random pattern. This keeps the ground as natural as it was during monsoons and avoid becoming muddy and retains the firm ground 16 - view of entrance courtyard of schoot

17 - View of gathering courtyard of school

18 - View of classroom where tree becomes a part of space

The study spaces are designed as per the way of teaching where the students are been demonstrated certain task and then they have to perform it as they want and where they want. The study area on the south-eastern part of the school is the biggest study space in size and also spatially as it extends into a veranda which have a tree surrounded by plinth. This gesture of taking in a tree increases opportunities of varying use of space and also makes the nature part of the space.

The school consists of three courtyards each one completely different in nature. The entrance courtyard the stepped courtyard and a courtyard with veranda. The entrance courtyard is designed to turn into a dense vegetated space. The stepped courtyard is used for early morning gathering and also is a spill over space for three study spaces which also act as places used for discussion with smaller groups. It is also place which is used for performances and smaller gatherings. The third courtyard is comparatively a well shaded place with tree in a middle. This courtyard is majorly used by students for studying alone as it is well isolated faced by the walls of three study spaces and a staircase on the fourth.

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04

Extracting Architectural Gestures Analysing the case studies certain architectural gestures are extracted to encourage explorations and enhance learning

B

A

•Elongation transition •Exposure modulation

of to

time

of

volumetric

•Participating nature as an active part of the school

B

C

A

A

B

C1

C2

A C3 17

B

These diagrams illustrates ways of elongating time of transition from space A to B by increasing the distance between two spaces and providing multiple options to reach.

These diagrams illustrates ways of time of transition from space A to B by changing the nature of the space 18

It becomes important to understand what surrounds the space, in what way it is explored and its relationship to the surroundings

continuous connection with the surrounding

getting into surrounding

range of new space and different view of surrounding

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getting into new space with newer view of surrounding and also possibility of connecting further toanother route or surrounding

completely connected to the surrounding also physical access to the surrounding

changing levels through various means can also contributes in possibility to explore the space

faster and shorter means

slow and long means

slowest and longer means 20

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Demonstrating the findings

5.1 Site - KFI the school, Nanamangalam

Site

Pallikarnai Wetlands

Nanamangalam Lake

Nanamangalam Reserved Forest 21

This thesis will further demonstrate the findings through designing of a school. For designing I am considering the proposal of new school campus of Krishnamurti Foundation’s school.

1 - Map Showing Location of Site

2 - Map showing Water-bodiesin the surrounding 3 - Map showing Green Patches and reserved forest in the surrounding

4 - Site plan showing connection of site from the 200ft road

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5.2 Connecting the words of Krishnamurti with Architecture

“Our minds are so cluttered up, with knowledge, with worries, with problems, with money, with position and prestige; they are so burdened that there is no space at all; yet without space there is no order.

When I look at this valley from a height and there is a direction because I want to see where I live, then I lose the vastness of space. Where there is direction space is limited. Where there is a purpose, a goal, something to be achieved, there is no space. If you have a purpose in life for which you are living, concentrating, where is there space? Whereas if there is no concentration there is vast space.

When there is a centre from which we look, then space is very limited. When there is no centre, that is to say, no structure of the me which has been put together by thought, there is vast space.

Without space there is no order, there is no Wclarity, there is no compassion.”1

To demonstrate the findings in a Krishnamurti school it is important to understand philosophy of Krishnamurti as it will further help explore the findings. Krishnamurti always spoke of awareness over information for developing and understanding. He also stressed on nurturing an individual point of view about everything and not accept anything dogmatically. He encourage questioning and being curious about world around.

In one of his talk titled ‘Because there is space, there is emptiness and total silence’ Krishnamurti speaks on direction and limitations of space. He explains how important it is to be directionless to see the whole and to find own path through the unknown.

While designing I tried to explore the findings using the idea of directionlessness in space.

Directionless space can be achieved in various ways. Forest offer one of the directionless path cause of its changing nature as per the season and life patterns of vegetation. This character of forest provides multiple possibilities to approach the place. During this transition also one gets exposed to varying fields of experiences.

7th Public Talk Saanen, 24th July 1977 `Because there is space, there is emptiness and total silence.’

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Illustration 5 - I tried to express the paths through a dense undulating ground.

Illustration 6 - I used broken geometric shapes which expands and contracts the space.

This expansion and contraction leads to the moment in space and exposure to varying volumetric modulation inspiring the use of the space.

Illustration 7 - I expressed overlapping of various patterns of element where the flow of ground can be completely negated by flow of overhead element and flow various spaces flows in to each other causing formation of new space.

Illustration 8 - the geometric spaces are fields of experience this illustrates how allowing opportunities to choose from the range of fields of experience and its sequencing can 26

5.3 Explorations

As I move forward in my process I started exploring these ideas and findings on the site using site characters and adding new elements

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In first exploration I made a model where I was looking at the programmatic elements to be scattered in the premises the arrangements were done such that there are always vistas towards two possibilities of spaces which can be accessed. This point become nodes in premises.

As the pedagogy uses nature as the very important tool of learning I looked at covering an entire campus with dense vegetation with variety of trees. The programmatic elements are looked at as objects which will develop various experiential fields through materials and light. In this exploration I also looked at exploiting the high water table and bringing in the water into the site which will also be one of the learning tool where one can understand the change in water table across the year and also the change in the earth texture through the presence and absence of water.

9 - Model exploration showing overall siteplanning idea

10 - Model showing structures inside the woods

11 - Model showing water taken insde the campus by digging

12 - Sketches Explloration of Dark spaces which will instigate appreciation of the presence of light

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13 - Sketches showing Exp;oration 2 using planes in the widerness

14, 15, 16 - Cardboard Model exploration in full site

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This option looks at school as a place like an observatory and stay light visually. Place is again considered to be densely vegetated and these planes will be running across the campus which will capture various parts of surrounding. The planes will suggest the flow

of structure but not the flow of space. Lack of boundaries encourages connection with the wilderness outside. The varying levels of the structure enhances the way connections take place as one keeps changing the view point towards the context. The structure also blurs into the context and every time after passing through the wilderness a person discovers the space.

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In this option structure is looked at as an unfinished composition of elements scattered in the context like a found ruin which becomes a school. These elements enclosing various spaces which can be used as classroom and for various other activities. The structures will be open for everyone’s own interpretation of it.

17, 18, 19 - Model exploration of presence of built form in the school merged and enclosing the surrounding making the non building space a classroom

20, 21, 22, 23 - sketches exploring the presence of built form in the school

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These are the peripheral conditions of the compositions which encourages multiple paths into the space.

These spaces are imagined to be overtaken by the nature developing relationship with of nature with the structure

The landscape will be filled with dense vegetation and these structures will be discovered like a found object.

This language allows for developing an individual language for all the structures so that they respond differently with the context.

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Classroom is the place which are used for gathering and where concepts are introduced. This changes the way we look at classroom. this explorations will look into class space through findings and krishnamurti’s philosophy.

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Classes are imagined as a place where a child will have his own space which he can make every day with his work and share it with everyone the gathering spaces are used for conducting classes which is connected from outside by more than one entrance. There are multiple levels around the gathering area which allows for various point of views of space around and place of solitude. The structure is kept raised to protect from flooding and also provide more earth surface. Certain platforms are such designed that they will encourage crawling. Crawling is important part of understanding the earth.

The spaces under the platform are dark spaces which can also be part of learning cause very few is been thought of dark in the school. Similarly some of the terraces are made accessible so one can see the sky and its magic in the day and even in the night. Very less has been explored about night which have its own beauty and it will be interesting to understand night also not only the sky but nature as whole.

24 - Sketches showing exploration of classroom as an entity and the understanding the core of presenceof the school

25, 26, 27 - Model exploration of classroom cluster

28- Section schowing areas for crawling activities and levels for interaction of space

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It is also important to understand how one sees outside from inside. In developing this connection there are various elements which plays role to channelize the attention. In this thesis I looked at roofs, levels and vertical partitions to help channelize the attention. In roofs I explored how slopes can be used to capture the vistas. Levels develop sense of curiosity into mind to see the surrounding from different heights and every level offers different set of knowledge about surrounding. Partition with its material can develop transparency and opacity. Providing openings to captures surrounding creating vistas which changes throughout the year.

29 - Explorationsof classroom with denser cluster of classes

30 - Plan showing arrangement of working area in red around gathering area in yellow

31- Plan showing entrapping of natural elements inside the cluster of classroom

32 - section showing roof profile which will help in capturing various components of the natural elements

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33, 34, 35, 36 - Various parts of the element captured through various size location and profile of opening 37, 38, 39 - landscape mounds for meandering paths and scattered transitions through

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5.4 Demonstration

Parking

Entrance with dense vegetation

Admin Area

Common Area with mud cave wall

Meandering paths

Classroom Clusters Meandering paths Merging Realms Library

Intervals

40 - Design Plan demonstrating various spatial narratives developed for encouraging curiiosity of exploration and learning

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Walk through the ever-changing realm A’ A

41 - Plan showing the entrance area under dense vegetation 42 - idea of blurring the built into the landscape thus deminishing boundaries 43 - Section through the dense vegetation showing the spatial quality with diferent trees of different types

Exploring new paths and the light 44 - Plan highlighting the common area and the mud caves wall 45 - Spatial Plan of the mud caves wall showing various range of spaces in the wall and also the change in quality and intensiy of light inside

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46 - Schematic Section through the top of wall 47 - Schematic view of wall showing space for appreciating sky 48 - Schematic Section of mud wall with stone foundation 49 - Section through the common area and the mud cave wall

Meandering path for scattered transition

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Exploring new paths and the light 50 Plan highlighting the location of intervals through out the campus 51 - Schematic section through interval showing the quality of light through the opening on top which also lets in the rain to create connection with natural element 52 - Section through Classroom and Interval in between two spaces

53 - Plan highlighting Meandering pathways across the site 54 - Section showing opening of meandering pathways into an open to sky area 55 - View showing and various activities of children in meandering pathway

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Merging Realms

56 - Plan highlighting various location of merging realms where landscape crawls up on the built circulation area 57 - Model showing the ground rising and covering the circulation deck.

58 - Schematic plan showing the landscape encroaching the cricuation deck providing opportunity to get into the wilderness around

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References

Books Krishnamurti, J, Education and the significance of life - London Victor Gollanez Ltd. 1962 Pandya, Yatin N. Elements of spacemaking. Book - Ahmedabad Mapin Pub. Pvt. Ltd. 2007 McCarter, Robert. Louis I Kahn.2005.print Anderson, Stanford Ed. On streets. - Massachusetts,Cambridge etc MIT Press 1978 - viii,

Websites http://www.arthistory.upenn.edu/themakingofaroom/catalogue/section5.htm http://www.mkgandhi.org/articles/gandhian-educational-system.html http://www.steinerwaldorf.org/steiner-education/what-is-steiner-education/ http://www.mkgandhi.org/articles/gandhi_sarvodaya.html `Because there is space, there is emptiness and total silence.’7th Public Talk Saanen, 24th July 1977

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