Scope of work: Interior and Furniture Design, Architecture, Project Management, Site Execution Coordination
Role as Design Project Lead (Led a team of 4 and collaborated with a team of 3 in-house)
Typology: Institutional Project Area: 45,000 sqft (9 floors)
Firm: MuseLAB, Mumbai, India
The project began as a re-think of educational facilities, strategizing how to make students gain specific subject learning, values, and knowledge of ancillary skills subconsciously through physical and visual interaction with a focused application of spatial and product design. The integration of the logistics of a school, norms, required building services across the floors has brought in daily site and coordination challenges to cater to that our team has been solving through management between the various agencies for the designed vision, intent, and functionality to be maintained. Taking from the school brand’s ideologies and approach to teaching, after detailed discussions with the school board, teaching staff, students and understanding specific spatial requirements from The International Baccalaureate® (an international education board), the conception and development of the design stemmed.
The programs that the school and our research necessitated provided an opportunity to create vibrant yet functional spaces for experiencing learning in a different manner. The school was envisioned as a colorful, dynamic educational space to create a supportive environment that stimulates observation and learning. As the target age ranged from kindergarten to tenth grade, the design approach was created to cater to them all in a different manner, specialized for each. The corridors are the central core that overlook the learning spaces, housing interactive activities specifically designed for specific grades. All corridors have a modular partition system with glass infill for the students to interact with the spaces on the other side, learn through observation, and provide functional niches on the other side. With the firm also designing the architecture of the school, double-height masses were created for the libraries, with the design of the interiors further accentuating them.
Conceptualization, design and detailing of Elemental / Product / Furniture Design of various activities designed for different age-groups, after primary and secondary user research, and followed by physical mock-ups for ergonomic and functionality trials by the children.
Physical prototypes for testing by students of specific age groups.
Building foundation
The execution stages of the institutional project involved multiple stakeholders and coordination between agencies for material safety, IT additions required by the school, safety and security services, electrical, plumbing, structural engineers, acoustic consultants, Project Management Consultant team, and multiple contractor team managing the skilled workers. As the firm was also designing the architecture of the building, HVAC, electrical, fire-fighting, FAPA (Fire Alarm & Public Alarm System), etc were managed strategically to be accommodated within specific sleeve positions while the beams and slabs were being cast in coordination with the MEP consultant. This led to multiple site issues, that were resolved with negotiations and accommodations such that the design intent was not affected. The phases of construction across the floors are being coordinated with simultaneous mockups and site adjustments.
7 floors of the building built 1.5 years into the process commencement
After rounds of feedback from the school board, administrative stakeholders, faculty, staff and students, the interior and product design process incorporated multiple nodes of requirements. The designs had a layer of ergonomic and material information to cater to different age groups, growing needs of the students, and comply with safety standards for the children.
Material Research ensued for a fire-resistant material to use in the partitioning system through the building that resonates with the design concept, and complies with the fire-safety norms of the State Government.
3D Furniture designs and prototyping
Site Supervision with multiple stakeholders, workers, clients, consultants like HVAC, Acoustics, lighting, led to development and honing of integral skills of leadership, collaborative working, decision-making, etc.
