Together with its partner, IND Architects, Archid Studio proudly announces the win in an international competition hosted in Dubai.
Both renowned for their expertise, IND Architects and Archid Studio followed a collective mission to craft a school concept that not only redefines educational spaces but also champions sustainability and technological advancement.
The winning concept, spanning four stories and 25,000 square metres, is tailored to accommodate up to 1750 students.
Asking Archid Studio’s CEO, Mr. Artem Salikov, to share his favourite solutions in the project, he mentioned three crucial elements of the unique design.
“In this project we have many incredible ideas united together, but if I had to choose, I could share three of the main elements. First, we have made a special solution on the internal separation of the school and pre-school, creating age-specific entries and zones. In the centre of the facility, we made a sports hub with several pools, which logically concluded all pupils’ pathways.”
The School of the Future features age-specific spaces, reflecting the dedication to user-centric design. The area is created in accordance with the possible needs of children at this age, as well as corresponding to all regulations, local, and international standards.
But the construction always depends on the site it’s being built on, and as Mr Salikov shared, in this case the terrain possessed an interesting challenge that architects overcame, being the masters of value-engineering and creative solutions in architectural design.
“This project presented a very interesting challenge — the site on which the school was planned to be built, has a slope of approximately 7–8 metres, and we managed to make the most of this situation.
Our building has a different height due to the landscape of the site, and at the same time all the spaces are made in accordance with international and local building standards, where, for example, a kindergarten cannot be higher than one storey.
Respectively to that, we created a kindergarten on the site, so that it was lower than the main building, intentionally making a height difference with the help of the terrain.”
Furthermore, Mr. Salikov specifies, in the design of the construction, one could see the adaptive solutions that grant perfect internal temperature throughout the whole school year, no matter the season. These are parametric sun-considerate facades and the football field trick. Both improve the educational journey for the students and their families as well!
“We employed a parametric sun-considerate facade and self-shaded courtyards to ensure comfort and energy efficiency on the construction. Basically, our facade itself forms a so-called “shadow gap”, which helps to prevent the heating of the building from inside. And the other of my favourite weather-tricks is the football field, under which we hid the entire parking lot, including all buses, and pick up areas, making sure the entire schooling experience is comfortable for parents and children throughout the whole day and during any season.”
Seamlessly integrating modern design elements, ESG principles, and cutting-edge technology, the concept promises to revolutionise the landscape of school architecture, focusing on modern educational needs, flexible learning environments, and eco-friendliness.
The school's design prioritises functionality and versatility, with public spaces doubling as venues for various events and activities, underscoring the commitment to creating dynamic and multifunctional spaces. Ramps, replacing traditional stairs, promote physical activity and safety, reflecting emphasis on user well-being and accessibility.
As Archid Studio and IND embark on this transformative journey, they reaffirm their shared commitment to redefining educational spaces and empowering future generations through visionary design and sustainable practices.
