School Without Classrooms , Berlin/ Indien

Verfahrensart
Offener Ideenwettbewerb

Wettbewerbsaufgabe
What if we lived in an age where school and learning was not systemized but optimized ?
What if the school had no grades, subjects and books ?
What if the classrooms did not mean a four-walled cubicle ?
What if the process and hierarchy of the schooling-setup was never there ?
What if there was more to the static architecture style of a schooling environment ?

We seem to have forgotten that schools are the real ‚Temples of Innovation‘ that shape children of the future. Schools are supposed to be ‚fun‘ places that inspire wonder, creativity and innovation through the teaching and learning. Schools should offer welcoming environments that instil in us confidence to pursue our dreams and interests. Pedagogy i.e. the art of teaching faces a real test in today‘s times for it has remained very stagnant and rigid in its discourse. Innovation in methods and practices of education has been slow and very limited. In most of the countries, schools have adopted a very general, mechanical and theoretical system of education that minutely focuses on problem solving, practical and experimental methods and most importantly, personal interests of children. Schooling environment, since the industrial revolution has done very less to revamp their gloomy, colourless, isolating and lifeless spaces.

Brain development between ages 5 and 12 is significant and understood. Cognitive psychologists and neuroscientists are intrigued with how cognitive capacities are affected by the architectural attributes and spatiality of a school environment. Architecture affects our intellect and emotions, influences our performance and motivates achievement — mostly on a subliminal basis. Classrooms are also called ‚third teachers‘ for their impact on the learning process just in terms of spatiality.

The competition seeks the creation of a middle school (age group 5-12) that completely negates the present day ‚bench-table-chalkboard‘ idea of a classroom and a regularized building typology of a school. The competition seeks to radicalize the school system through architecture not only in terms of improving the quality of study environment but revamping the system and breaking all the physical and metaphorical class divisions into an entirely new school system.

The competition seeks ideas from participants to create a fun built environment for a middle school that understands the individual needs of each child yet being very collaborative in nature. The school should strive to create a new pedagogical space that emphasizes on people-oriented design in behavioral terms as they interact and use spaces.

Berlin is the 21st century contemporary world‘s ideal capital. The city left its torrid history behind to quickly grow and cement itself into the intellectual and cultural core of the world. Berlin is the epicenter of any new movement that starts to demolish the old world order. The site for the competition is located in Templehof, Berlin and aims to create an exemplary prototype for all the new world schooling systems to follow.