Toy Story – a creative experience shaped through architecture!

By Ar. Shreya Kulkarni

Photography: Courtesy the architect

Read Time: 2 mins

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Collage Architecture Studio chisels a play-school - Toy Story, consciously sculpting the edifice to achieve an introverted planning that ensures a smooth transition for kids from home to school.

Drawing inspiration from Locke's philosophy viz. 'A child's mind at birth is a 'Blank Slate' which moulds itself with time, based on the perceptions of sensory experiences' is this play school located in Bengaluru. With a built-up area of 14,526 sq. ft., the functional zoning and spatial planning of this modulating volume is largely determined by the residential fabric in its context and a site gradient of 1.2m.

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The entrance lobby to the north is welcomed by a dynamic central tree atrium which runs vertically through the three storeys, capped by a skylight that floods the core with the requisite natural light, therefore encouraging classrooms and activity areas to open into this space. It induces a magnetic vibe due to the perpendicular visual connectivity of its alternating corridors, playful elements, and framed vistas that enhance its interactive quality, ensuring that the toddlers are at ease.

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On the ground floor, the progression of an exhibition pavilion into an amphitheatre - developed acknowledging site contours, enables a flexible usage of this stimulating space. Designed on a similar principle of 'flexibility' are the classrooms that use utilitarian movable/rotatable partitions to segregate functions instead of a typical rigid demarcation. Another modern concept emerges with the toy library that fuses the conventional Montessori lab, library and digital labs to create a holistic outlook and progressive mindset.

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The white built form acts as a canvas for the anthropometric interiors with an interactive and learning decor, openings and furniture providing a supportive atmosphere, where children can build on their self-confidence and develop learning methodologies. A variety of fabrics such as the paddling pool, landscape, a pattern of coloured acrylic plates and louvers, play of colour and light, flooring patterns etc. are introduced to create a seamless holistic composition breathing life into the building. 

Through each space, the children are introduced to concepts and ideas that they can relate to and understand with minimal effort and that further induce them into a self-learning and exploration process, thus satisfying the client’s vision of a distinct pre-school which would go on to become an epitome of future education system.

Fact File:

Project Type: Institution

Architecture Firm: Collage Architecture Studio

Site Area: 4800 sq. ft. 

Built Up Area: 14,526 sq. ft.

Location: Bengaluru