Schools of Tomorrow, Budhni

The Schools of Tomorrow are a cluster of new-age schools aimed at redefining the government education infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh.

The school in Budhni is located in a forested contoured area, away from the rush of the busy areas. Unlike the other schools of tomorrow, the school doesn’t follow an inward flowing planning and has a distinctive ramp that connects the different school blocks. The connected blocks with the ramps form a homogenous system on site allowing for more inclusive mix between the different age groups. The naturally created pockets in between these blocks create community gathering spaces and breakout areas for the students.

The design has a strong emphasis on sustainability, ensuring the existing landscape is protected. The existing contours on site are utilized to create a natural open air theatre.

Other spaces like: Multi-purpose halls for sports, gatherings, and community events. Vocational training centers for skill development. Playgrounds and landscaped courtyards allow for recreation and informal learning. Library spaces designed to encourage reading and independent learning.

The design ensures that classrooms and learning spaces are flexible, naturally ventilated, and well-lit. The schools are arranged in clusters of different blocks, like a Nursery-Primary Block, a Middle-High School Block which divides the spaces to the needs of the respective age groups.

Given the extreme climatic conditions of the region, temperature regulation was a key design consideration to ensure a comfortable learning environment for students and staff. The school has incorporated several passive cooling strategies like the use of fly ash bricks and AAC blocks for improved thermal insulation. The windows to the classrooms are specially designed recessed windows to control daylight ingress, eliminating the need for external chhajjas. The windows will reflect harsh sunlight and allow diffused light to enter the classrooms, and prevent any harsh shadows and excessive light from entering the areas. This in result creates a well curated and learning conducive environment for the students and will improve overall focus and attention spans.

Ensuring equal access for all students was a fundamental aspect of the design. Vibrant color schemes in shades of yellow and orange have been used to stimulate creativity and make learning spaces more playful and approachable for the students. Ramps are provided on all floors for seamless movement between the blocks and for ease of accessibility for all students. The ramps envelope around the school blocks and creates a distinctive visual feature for the school. Tactile flooring and clear signage allow for ease of accessibility for differently abled students.