The Mann School

Text description provided by architect.

Today, educational institutions and campuses have evolved from being bland and boring boxes to innovative and practical buildings that intend to foster learning in a welcoming and uplifting environment.

The vision for the design for the Girls’ Hostel at The Mann School centres on the importance of providing facilities to promote learning and all-round development at a home-away-from-home.

The hostel building was proposed within the complex of the school since the existing boarding facilities could not cater to the increasing number of students and their requirements.

The new building is positioned between the executive block and the senior academic wing and houses dormitories for grade 1-12, a study hall, and common recreational areas like a games and television room, a computer room, and a salon.

It carries on the legacy of the school ethos with openness and continuity as part of the design intent.

The campus’ existing colour scheme of red and grey is maintained while brick is used as a critical design element on the facades to help the new building blend cohesively within its surroundings.

For the well-being of the children, creating outdoor spaces such as gardens and terraces and incorporating greenery within the building was prioritised.

The hostel is planned to overlook a central courtyard, with dormitories facing the corridors to ensure a lively and interactive environment.

The corridors are widened in an angular fashion to accommodate seating spaces for children to relax.

The residential facilities for younger children (grade 1-4) are planned on the ground floor, so they don’t have to climb up the stairs, thus ensuring safety.

The dormitories are designed to ensure optimal ingress of daylight and ventilation with windows along the custom-designed bunk beds, allowing each child with a view to the outside.

The dining area, the parent’s lounge, as well as recreational spaces like the indoor play area are also located on the ground floor.

The infirmary and the salon are also positioned on the first floor to accommodate all the facilities in one place, making the hostel self-sufficient.

All the activity areas like the common room, computer lab, and the games room are planned in the basement around the central courtyard and the sunken amphitheatre, making it the most lively zone in the building.

Designed as an extension of the common room, the amphitheatre acts as a congregation spot where students and staff often come together to celebrate birthday parties and musical get-togethers.

Also, the number of building entry and exit points are reduced, windows are fitted with metal grills, and criss-cross wires are used between the handrails in the corridors and the ceiling as a precaution.

Driven by sustainability, solar panels are installed on the terrace of the building.The central courtyard is precisely aligned in the North West - South East direction, to catch the southwesterly winds during the monsoon, thus ensuring ventilation throughout the building.

Bricks used on-site have been procured from local kilns to reduce the carbon footprint. Even the finishes and materials used in the building are low maintenance and affordable - paint and tiles, granite, laminates on the door - all keeping in mind that the setting is to be used by young children.

For the well-being of the children, creating outdoor spaces such as gardens and terraces and incorporating greenery within the building was prioritised. The hostel is planned to overlook a central courtyard, with dormitories facing the corridors to ensure a lively and interactive environment.

The corridors are widened in an angular fashion to accommodate seating spaces for children to relax. The building opens out at a different angle on every floor, with inward-looking terraces staggered to help create a sense of visual connection for everyone, regardless of where they are positioned.