“School is an enriching part of every individual’s life that allows them to explore their true north,” reads the vision of the North Star School.
Building an interactive approach to learning that allows students to nurture an actual connection between actual experience and learning, the school’s premises are an architectural wonder designed to suit its holistic learning ethos. The Rajkot based school, which finds itself spread over 33,000 square feet, emphasises learning based on architecture and community spaces.
What was once a barren piece of land now beckons you into lush green premises, corridor classrooms and sprawling courtyards — an architectural wonder envisioned and built by Shanmugam Associates from Chennai.
Stepping up from a liminal four-walled classroom experience, North Star was established to help students build a personal connection with physical spaces, primarily the educational institution. Each classroom features ample cross-ventilation, a private garden and an open-to-sky, jali courtyard. Further connecting each classroom is a larger garden that envelops the entire estate.
The school also features a library with an outdoor chessboard, a central stepped and luscious green courtyard decked with indigenous plants and corridors with zones specially earmarked for students’ artwork. North Star was mapped out in three phases of development, out of which only the first phase has been built so far.
With expansion plans in the future and building orientation in the pipeline, the architecture commissioned for the building emphasizes shaping a positive learning experience.
Inspired by local architecture and community heritage, the building draws inspiration from the stepped walls of Gujrat. The school courtyard bears similarities to the stepped courtyards of yesteryears that were social spaces and a hub for gathering and storytelling sessions for children.
Keeping in mind an eco-friendly approach from the conception to the parting message, the school is decked with a green belt and constructed with locally available organic materials like bella, a natural hard limestone found n the region. The school also features a horticulture program to educate children about the ecosystem. Overall, the goal is to witness a progression of the pupils and their environment in harmonious tandem.
Find out more about the school here.
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