by school under a neem by studio dhulia is about nature
Studio Dhulia takes inspiration from the ancient Indian tradition of gaining knowledge under a tree in the center of a village when expanding a primary school School In India. “School Under a Neem” centers the campus of Dr. Dhaval Rajnikant Mehta Primary School around a central neem tree that brings together the scattered structures and activities of the complex in a symbolic space.
Around it, the expansion block unfolds with a simple floor plan that offers flexibility for future growth. The earth-toned front facade is punctuated by a series of rounded openings that allow for a playful interaction between light, space, nature and the building’s occupants for an enhanced learning experience.
A series of openings encourage dialogue within the building and to the outside | all images courtesy of Studio Dhulia
Revitalizing the rural tradition of learning under a tree
The elementary school campus consists of a main building that sits at its end and a few unplanned buildings that line the east side. The foreground acts as a stage for many activities, including lunch, sports, and after-school activities, while the central neem tree serves as the pivot that holds all of these zones together.
Dealing with space and budget constraints, The team at Studio Dhulia executed minimalist ideas and methods to create playful, flexible spaces for School Under a Neem. The floor plan of the extension remains simple, with three classrooms upstairs and three downstairs. In the meantime, the ground floor has been left open as a prayer room, which can have three more classrooms in the future with partition walls.
Step entrance to the school extension under the neem tree
Earth tones encourage interaction between structure and nature
Studio Dhulia wraps the building inside and out in an earthy tone, accentuating the pristine white walls that line the facade. The shades of gray frame these white walls, while the primary colors on the mullion highlight the campus like a photo frame on a wall. A small circular opening at the end of the corridor on the top floor, adding a splash of color, surrounds the neem tree with a yellow line and reinforces the original concept.
Inside, the doors and windows form playful details to encourage interaction between the children and the school. Small plaques on the doors serve as canvases for students to mark their identities and number their classes, while the windows feature rotating yellow rectangles for play.
Light hits the facade and creates a shadow play in the hallway
numerous openings in the facade
Corridor light creating dynamic shadow patterns
The edge of the posts are painted in contrast to frame the openings
prayer room
circular opening framing the neem tree
Plaque in door naming classes
classroom
a harmonious relationship between nature and structural trees
the school children enjoy their lunch from school
Project info:
Surname: school under a neem
architecture: Studio Dulia
Lead Architect: Komal Dulia
Location: India
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edited by: ravail khan | design boom
