Adli Nadia

advisor

Diponegoro University, Semarang

Indonesia

Comercial Architecture and mixed use building design https://www.instagram.com/gratama.indonesia/ more

Review for Anmol Bhandari (NEWTON BHANDARI)

Hi Anmol,
Good to see your work….

Well, let’s start the review… this project was started narratively attractive. It came from your own experience that is genuine and I’m impressed. While reading the whole design, I found its hard to imagine what the contexts looks like. The site plan misses their surroundings which is very important to create a good educational atmosphere since the students need to be intact with broader social life to construct their personalities.

The site plan should be able to describe what public and social facilities that connected with the school, like bus station, marketplace, park, library, etc. Once you said that soundproof facilities is needed to enhance the creativity, but sorry to not totally agree with you, me and my students found creativity by watching and listening to the surroundings distractions. They can understand the basic "cause and effect" mechanism in our brain to develop a simple problem solving scheme.

In my opinion, having an enclosed educational facilities can absolutely develop boredom even though you create such an attractive space with lights, shadow and water. There are indeed safety and security to pay attention to, but social connectivity is proven to be more important to develop young kid’s cognitive and affective ability.

Based on the 3d impressions you create, I found several ideas that’s amazed me, such as hills, floor pattern, mural wall, indoor amphitheater, pathways on the roof, sunken classroom and the container itself. But still, I was unable to understand why did you create a symmetrical building mass…. Is it because of the container’s shape that is boxy?
There is nothing wrong with the symmetrical masses, but it feels so formal. In Indonesia, symmetrical building is identical with government facilities that is full of order and hierarchy. I think, having a fluid and attractive experiential space is crucial to young kids. They need a "hide and seek" environment as part of their learning process though. Non symmetrical masses should have this empowerment especially when the building masses had a curvilinear edges and create flows of movement.

And one thing as a final thought from me… school should be designed as an unfinished facilities. At least 40% of the environments were created and constructed by the students and teachers themself, therefore almost on every hallway and public area are filled with their creativity or product. Its okay to be messy, full of chaotic wall paintings, overlapped posters, interactive science project, and hanging origami (bird or butterfly) on the ceiling. This is how educational facilities absorbs the spirit of youth coherently.

Well, that’s it… keep on the good track and passions you have there.
Thnks for the opportunity to discuss the design.

Dear Adli Nadia,
Thank you for your feedback