The Shivdav High-school, situated amidst rural settlements in Shivdav, near Kankavli, Sindhudurg, is a 6000 sq.ft. school set within hills and farms of Shivdav. The campus boasts a design highlighted by open learning spaces, a close relationship with nature, and a “village”. For children and adults alike, the building reflects the playful and poetic nature of the forest, in which it sits.
Classrooms and social spaces are arranged around a tree-filled courtyard at this school. Alongside classrooms, it comprises an array of social spaces and a theatre, aiming to provide education and meeting spaces for the wider community too. We tried to create a multiplicity of diverse, playful and accessible spaces – closed, open, roofed, shaded, small and big – in order to facilitate education but also provide common meeting spaces for both students and the local community. To avoid overheating, the studio incorporated various temperature-control measures, including a pitched roof with a gap for ventilation and thick concrete floors that help keep the classrooms cool during the day.