Udaan

Schools are more than buildings; they are places where ideas take shape, creativity awakens, and a child’s sense of awareness, empathy, and responsibility begins to grow. Udaan was conceived with this spirit- an environment that nurtures discipline, playfulness, and holistic learning. Designed as the junior extension of Amrita Public School, located just across the road, Udaan sits within the dense bylanes of Sangam Vihar, a highly populated neighbourhood with narrow 12-foot approach roads. Catering primarily to the economically weaker sections of society, the project had to be executed on a strict, predetermined budget while still ensuring a joyful and uplifting school environment.

The 650 sq. yard plot is tightly bound by surrounding residential structures, prompting a simple yet efficient site layout. The ground floor accommodates the Director’s Cabin, Lounge, Fee Counter, and large bus parking. A visually striking external staircase carries students directly to the first-floor classrooms, minimizing crowding in the internal circulation core. Additional internal stairs and a lift support vertical movement across the building. A central corridor serves all floors, branching into classrooms on either side for ease of access and supervision.

The façade is designed with restrained simplicity using terracotta bricks, while the highlight staircase introduces colour, vibrancy, and a playful identity to the school. Enclosed in double-height colourful MS louvers, the tapered staircase becomes a landmark feature—inviting, grand, and functional. Beyond circulation, it doubles as an assembly zone and informal open-air theatre, maximizing the utility of the compact site. The western façade features exposed brickwork, concrete textures, and warm earthy tones, echoing the aesthetic of the senior school opposite. MS pergolas and triangular, colour-laden fins bring a joyful visual rhythm, inspired by pennant flags that symbolize celebration and energy- perfectly complementing the environment of young learners.

Inside, design decisions reflect strict budget management without compromising quality. Kota stone flooring, ceramic tile dados, and vertical fins for shading maintain functionality and comfort. The fins and brick jali panels ensure natural light, ventilation, and reduced heat gain. Interiors are intentionally neutral, allowing children’s imagination and artwork to bring colour to the space. Circular glazed punctures along corridors connect classrooms visually and animate the elevation. Cool roof tiles reduce internal temperature by 4°C, while solar panels on the sports and infirmary blocks meet nearly 25% of the building’s energy needs.

Generous 9-foot-wide corridors act as vibrant activity zones, filled with memories, movement, and learning. Blackboard walls encourage doodling and creative expression. In the play and dance rooms, colourful foam tiles and child-friendly furniture cultivate joyful learning.