The architectural intent of this school in Bangalore was to synthesize a complex design brief into a pleasant, comfortable living environment. Divya Shanthi Christian Association & Trust added this multi-programme building facility as an extension to its school and children’s home campus, located in a low-income neighborhood of Bangalore city. Also, to form a coherent neighborhood landmark that exudes positivity and optimism, emerging as a beacon of hope.
Editor’s Note: “The double-skin facade of this school in Bangalore, adorned with gracefully bent steel louvres and an operable glazing system, beckons with a unique allure. The building’s enigmatic exterior contrasts beautifully with an interior awash in vibrant hues, evoking a sense of excitement and joy.The dramatic play of shades and shadows through the veil of louvres creates a connection with the kids in school and the surroundings.” ~Simran Khare
This School in Bangalore Unify A Complex Brief Into A Pleasant Space | Flying Elephant Studio
The building houses multiple programmes that complement the needs of both the existing school campus and the larger neighbourhood community.
It includes children’s dormitories, a senior girl’s transition home, a teacher training centre, a primary healthcare clinic, a community library, science labs, a dining hall, and additional facilities for the school. Given the limited footprint available in a tight urban situation, the programme is stacked at multiple levels.
The plan allows for both necessary controls, including stringent security and privacy for the girl’s residences, and connectivity with the neighborhood backstreet and within the existing school building and campus.
The new building design re-interprets the architecture of a traditional’verandah’. It is a transitional area that functions variously as a climatic buffer, movement corridor, and social space. Thus adapting the concept to a contemporary multi-level urban structure.
A flat concrete structural slab soffit and ‘free plan’ permit maximum flexibility in the internal subdivision of space to accommodate changing needs—both specific programmes currently on different floors as well as catering to future iterations.
It incorporates a double-skin facade enclosure: the outer skin comprises a layer of bent steel louvres, while the inner combines an operable glazing system with opaque walls. The louvres shade the glazing, shelter movement corridors, and informal social spaces while providing security and privacy.
The inner glazing effectively protects assigned programme spaces from inclement weather and provides acoustic separation when needed, while allowing deep penetration of diffused daylight and cross-ventilation.
The indoor massing simulates a micro-urban environment, with ‘interior streets’ between different colour-coded programme ‘blocks’ that are articulated to suggest street edge furniture and invite human occupation.
The interior ambience is characterised by colour, cross-translucency, and reflectiveness that is set against the raw concrete surfaces of the building structure.
Viewed from the outside, the building presents an enigmatic image with interior colour splashes echoing the bold synthetic colours of neighbourhood houses, combining shadows, reflections, and transparency filtered through a veil of steel louvres.
The building engages with the local community at multiple levels. The children’s home offers a caring and secure environment for those without family support. They receive an education at Divya Shanthi School, which also caters to kids from the locality.
There is extensive accommodation for girls, which also includes a transition home that prepares young women to become independent and eventually move out into the world. A well-equipped dining facility offers mid-day meals to all students while also serving the children’s home.
Additional facilities that benefit the community include a special needs school programme and a teacher training facility. The library primarily serves the school but is also intended for use by people from the locality. A street-level primary healthcare centre provides quality medical services, including doctor consultation, a daycare bed facility, a testing lab, and a pharmacy, to the poor, free of charge.
Fact File
Designed by: Flying Elephant Studio
Project Type: Institutional Buildings
Project Name: Divya Shanthi School & Campus Upgrades
Location: Bangalore
Year Built: 2019
Project Size: 5000 Sq.ft
Design Team: Rajesh Renganathan, Iype Chacko, Matilde Chitolina, Aneesh Nandi, Kiran Chandra
Photograph Courtesy: Manoj Sudhakaran
Structure: Manjunath and Co
MEP: HMN Consultants
PMC: Gleeds
Contractors: GINA Engineering
Source: Archdaily
Firm’s Website Link: Flying Elephant Studio
Firm’s Instagram Link: Flying Elephant Studio
For Similar Projects >> A Vocational Training Institute in Aurangabad while Focusing on Improved Social Responsibility
Layers don’t just sit here; they breathe, shift, and whisper through light. The Screen, set in the sun-drenched fabric of Solapur, Maharashtra, isn’t trying to scream luxury. It doesn’t need to. It moves quieter than that, more composed, more intentional, like a pause button carved into the chaos of the city. Spread across 4,125 sq. […]
This project is located in Ben Tre, Vietnam, and was completed in 2021. With a total area of 430m2, the project set within concrete vaults includes 3 bedrooms and one living room, each with a view of the nearby river. Concrete Vaults Form The Main Identity Of This Vietnamese Home | VTN Architects The ground […]
We conceive EMA not as a conventional architectural object, but as a living continuum of memory, ecology, and craft. Located in Malappuram, Kerala, the 1,700 sq. ft. residence, designed with thermal comfort draws from vernacular wisdom and the philosophy of the Kaavu—the sacred grove—where humans, nature, and other living beings coexist without hierarchy. Within this […]
Set within the lush landscapes of Bharanikavu in Kollam, Arcade – a single storey residence that blends tropical modern architecture with colonial and traditional elements. Designed for a businessman, his wife (a teacher) and their two daughters, this house showcases a shared interest for elegance rooted in familiarity. This Single Storey Home Sits Amidst Lush […]
Noah’s Ark is a contemporary residence designed as a calm and welcoming home with a clear planning. The client’s brief was to create a home that felt simple, warm, and timeless without becoming overly minimal or impersonal. Noah’s Ark responds by blending clear planning, honest materials, and personal elements, resulting in a house that is […]
Located in HMT Layout, Bangalore, Isha_Srinidhi Nilaya stands as a multi-generational home designed on a compact 60×40 ft (2400 sq. ft) East facing plot, with a total built-up area of 8000 sq. ft. East Facing a lush public park, the residence responds to its urban setting through a layered design that balances privacy with a […]
Nestled within a 30×40 ft plot is the compact house design in Banashankari 6th Stage, Bengaluru. This residence for the Ellappans, reimagines traditional Indian living in a contemporary, spatially dynamic form. Designed for a family of three- Mr. Ellappan, his wife, and their teenage son- the house expresses a deep connection to vernacular roots while […]
Timeless architectural features, such as courtyards, are always associated with bringing the naturally public forms to the world’s heart, building the most peaceful, secluded outdoor areas. These outdoor spaces maximize the living experience with their private space feature, which gives one the option for leisurely relaxation, recreation, or gardening. Furthermore, it has also been a […]
Architecture font choices go beyond style—they shape how your work is perceived. From portfolios to presentations, the right architecture font instantly communicates clarity, precision, and personality. As architects, we design not just with space but with every detail, including typography. Selecting a strong architecture font shows your commitment to visual storytelling and design consistency. In […]
The Indian farmhouse accommodation goes on to capitalize on a mature evolutionary synthesis of ancestral aesthetics and contemporary features. With this, the outside and the inside of farmhouses became places of comfort with nature. In this blog, we delve into 15 incredible farmhouse designs that entail a harmonious blending. While they exhibit different spaces in […]