Habitat Collaborative's Curved School in India Threads Through Mature Trees
In Vadodara, India, Habitat Collaborative has finalized New Horizon, a school covering 1,442 square meters, which is thoughtfully integrated into a site abundant with trees. Commissioned by Round Table India, this boomerang-shaped structure expands facilities for middle and secondary students at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee School. Principal architect Bhavik Thakkar highlighted that the design harmonizes with the surrounding greenery, featuring a welcoming concave facade. Classrooms and a library are situated within curving wings encircling a small park. A triple-height atrium, complete with a sandpit, is illuminated by a domed skylight. The pale yellow exterior was selected during student workshops, which also inspired the patterned flooring. This initiative reflects a growing trend in innovative educational architecture in India. Photography by The Space Tracing Company.
Key facts
- Habitat Collaborative designed New Horizon school in Vadodara, India.
- The school is 1,442 square metres and serves middle and secondary pupils.
- Commissioned by a local chapter of Round Table India.
- The building has a boomerang-shaped plan that curves around mature trees.
- A triple-height skylit atrium with a sandpit is at the heart of the design.
- The atrium acts as a thermal regulator using the stack effect.
- Pale yellow render was chosen through participatory workshops with students.
- Patterned flooring uses kota stone, granite, and sandstone.
Entities
Artists
- Bhavik Thakkar
Institutions
- Habitat Collaborative
- Round Table India
- Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee School
- Dezeen
- Vastushilpa Sangath
- Spacefiction Studio
- The Space Tracing Company
Locations
- Vadodara
- India
- Chennai
Sources
- Dezeen —