School in a nature setting: The architectural concept emphasizes the connection of interior and exterior. It is important to show the children the peculiarity of the location, open the building to the natural environment. Panoramic glazing transmits the maximum amount of light and offers beautiful views. Smooth lines of ground floor’s glass wall repeat the plasticity of the relief, erases border with the surrounding landscape. Cantilevers with classrooms form a roof for seasonal outdoor lessons.
Winner – Urban Design & Architecture Design Awards 2019
Firm | Archstruktura
Category | Educational (Concept)
Team | Anton Nagavitsyn, Olga Rachkowskaya, Natalya Sokolova, Alexandra Bazunova, Anna Suvorova, Michail Fachri
Country | Russia
Motivating architecture: The architecture of the school is of great importance. The building where children spend every day affects the character, motivates, and shapes the personality. The building is intuitive, diverse space, similar to the urban environment: streets, squares.
Heart of the building is atrium with an amphitheater. Moving walls turn the atrium into a transformer: it can become a theater, a cinema hall, a lounge, a communication hub, open area for presentations, project work.
Environmental friendliness: The project meets the principles of sustainable development, respect for resources and minimizes physical and visual pollution of the environment. Due to location near the river, all drains will thoroughly cleaned.
Sustainable design: The project follows the principles of sustainable design. The design emphasizes the quality characteristics of the space. Materials, textures, colors are carefully selected. School architecture teaches: brick, concrete, glass, wood – natural honest materials do not imitate anything.
Interior design leaves students and teachers the opportunity to express themselves.
Ergonomics and compliance: The innovative spatial solution corresponds to the progressive educational program of the Wunderpark School. An expanded set of multifunctional recreational facilities provides a number of additional opportunities for training and communication of children and teachers.
The open, permeable structure of the building provides a lot of light and open space, constant visual control, always at least 2-3 planning zones are in the field of view.
Classrooms allow flexible arrangement of desks.
Infrastructure: A well-developed infrastructure is provided, including art classes, fablab, dining room, and gym with a climbing wall, a library, physics and chemistry classes with advanced equipment.
Following the global trends of openness, the project includes solutions for the possible future development of the school as a local community and cultural center. Building clearly zoned, that provide opportunity to use it after the school hours.
Landscaping: Landscape design emphasize the identity of the location. The nearby archaeological site turns into an open-air museum.