School without Classrooms

• Name: Pasindu Kithmina
• Year: 2017
• Studio: Level V
• University: University of Moratuwa

Site specific learning facility to increase the exposure of Students

Learning in informal settings not only reinforces what we learn in school, but helps establish lifelong patterns of motivation and curiosity. Educationists have identified that hands on experience and provision for exploration can increase the interest of students in their education.

What if the students can get inspired from “actual sites” for their education??? Diverse sites has diverse amount of knowledge which can inspire children in their education. Also travel can inspire students in many different ways.

What if we can create facilities for a travel based educational program???

The design suggests; a train which takes students from one site to another, in order to guide them through desired learning outcomes, which can make a remarkable journey in their career. Knowledge on subject matters as well as other life skills could be improved through this program. 

WHAT is this program???

Sites throughout the country are selected on the basis of “what specifically the sites can teach?”

Specific set of “learning outcomes” are listed for each site according to the curriculum. The students will reach these sites on a designed train, which has facilities to travel and live.

Each site has a “Docking Station” designed to halt the train at the time of stay.( abandoned rail tracks and looped tracks are used)

The project proposes to make a program for site specific learning, for selected subjects of the school curriculum.

The “sites” are selected based on two parallel approaches.

-The ability to possess a required set of learning objectives

-The accessibility of the site(area) through train

The program aims for cultivating two parallel “knowledges”

-Site specific learning outcomes- subject matter based on the curriculum

-Life skills development as a result of the traveling/camping program

WHY Train???  Why not another mode?

– Train runs through a specific path, where a learning program can be developed considering the journey. In this learning program the site, as well as the journey to the site is both considered equally important in generating knowledge.

– The Journey covers many facades of knowledge; social, economical, geographical and cultural cross sections of the country.

-The train coach can be easily converted to a living camper for students, when the train is docked in each site.

-The railway has a solid network of services which could be incorporated in the school program.

Architectural Problem

Designing ‘Service docks’ at identified sites, which can support the students to achieve site specific learning objectives. This includes ‘educational spaces’ as well as ‘service spaces’ of the docking station.

Designing the living and traveling functions inside a train, facilitating student safety and convenience, allowing provision for expandable spaces and multifunction spaces.

Docking stations Design

In developing the architectural character of each docking station, two main factors have been considered.

1. Relating the building to the railway architecture of Sri Lanka

The form and the overall character of the building is addressed by the principles derived from study of characteristics of railway architecture.

– Simple cross section through the building

– Lightweight fabrication / visible material connections

– Use of railway specific materials (salvaged rail materials)

2. Relating the building to the site(area)

Site specific materials have been incorporated in designing each docking station.