Source: NudeOffices

Spectacular plant-covered school with unique rooftop “Infinity” cycle track planned in India

The “Forest” is the wining entry in a design competition for a school project sited in Pune, India: the design explores the relation between nature and pedagogy in dense urban settlements built on the foundations of “Grow—Learn—Reuse—Plant—Play”.

The project explores the dynamics of a vibrant space for student-centric interaction and learning

“Forest” is the wining entry for an invited competition design for a school project sited in Pune, India. The winning design (by NudeOffices) explores the relation between nature and pedagogy in dense urban settlements built on the foundations of “Grow”, “Learn”, “Reuse”, “Plant” and “Play”. Sited in Pune approximately 3 hours by road from Mumbai, the city has witnessed dramatic urban growth in the last decade.

The project harbours two “green” cylindrical volumes stitched by a rooftop “infinity” loop track. Each cylindrical volume represents the stage of phased construction with planned programmatic activities. The project explores the dynamics and logistics of a vibrant space for student-centric interaction and learning. The “Green” skin can be serviced and maintained by a peripheral service track that is accessible from both landing and mid-landing levels on every floor by horticulturists. This story was first spotted on Dezeen, in July 2020.

Forest School in Pune is the winning entry for a competition to design a new educational facility for the city in western India.
Architecture studio Nudes has designed a school covered in plants and topped by a cycling track shaped like an infinity symbol for Pune, India. Forest School in Pune is the winning entry for a competition to design a new educational facility for the city in western India. Source: Dezeen
At 32 metres at its highest point, the school will feature a double-height auditorium at ground level with five floors of classrooms above.
Nudes’ plan for the school is to build a conjoined pair of six-storey cylindrical towers wrapped in greenery, with a looping cycling track on the roof. At 32 metres at its highest point, the school will feature a double-height auditorium at ground level with five floors of classrooms above. Source: Dezeen
Stepped balconies covered in plants will ring the exterior of both buildings, creating a vertical forest up the facade.
The cycling track that tops the building will create two bridges between the towers, one raised over the other to complete the endless circuit. Stepped balconies covered in plants will ring the exterior of both buildings, creating a vertical forest up the facade. Source: Dezeen
“Pune is approximately three hours by road from Mumbai, and the city has witnessed dramatic urban growth in the last decade,” said Nudes founder Nuru Karim. “The ‘green living skin’ serves to purify the air from pollutants and related challenges affecting the health of the inhabitants of a city,” he added. Source: Dezeen
They also convert carbon dioxide into oxygen via photosynthesis. The leaves of the plants will also shade the building to help it keep cool naturally in hot weather, and provide a buffer for noise.
Plants can remove pollutants from the air by a process called phytoremediation, whereby certain plants are able to absorb toxic chemicals via their leaves or roots. They also convert carbon dioxide into oxygen via photosynthesis. The leaves of the plants will also shade the building to help it keep cool naturally in hot weather, and provide a buffer for noise. Source: Dezeen
In 2018, a study showed that air pollution in Pune was four times higher than the safe standard set by the World Health Organisation.
Pune is the eighth-most populous city in India and has been suffering from worsening air quality for years. In 2018, a study showed that air pollution in Pune was four times higher than the safe standard set by the World Health Organisation. Source: Dezeen
A swimming pool and tennis courts will be built at basement level. A service track accessible on each floor will allow professional horticulturists access to the green facade, so they can maintain the plants.
Nudes’ Forest School addressed Pune’s urban issues by adding plants at every level and creating “a bicycle track for a city starved for pedestrian walkways and cycling tracks”. A swimming pool and tennis courts will be built at basement level. A service track accessible on each floor will allow professional horticulturists access to the green facade, so they can maintain the plants. Source: Dezeen
However some of these plants would be grown and nurtured by students at the ground level and courtyard level before being placed by trained gardeners at higher levels.
Students would not be permitted to access these plants due to safety concerns. However some of these plants would be grown and nurtured by students at the ground level and courtyard level before being placed by trained gardeners at higher levels. Source: Dezeen
Nudes hope the project will be a healthy school environment, with opportunities for hands-on learning about the environment and climate change. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, construction cannot start on the project until later this year when restrictions are lifted. Nudes architecture office has a particular focus on sustainability and learning.
Forest School in Pune will teach children through from nursery age to 18. Nudes hope the project will be a healthy school environment, with opportunities for hands-on learning about the environment and climate change. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, construction cannot start on the project until later this year when restrictions are lifted. Nudes architecture office has a particular focus on sustainability and learning. Source: Dezeen

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