Building Systems

Studio Co-ordinator: Milind Mahale, Abhijeet Ekbote, Rashmi Dabir ,Samidha Kowli

Esha Waingankar

In this course, we focused on reimagining a pre-primary school located on a terrain in Borivali’s Abhinav Nagar, sharing its boundary with the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. The site had a slope on one side, which made it feel very different as we walked through the school. As you enter, the building naturally guides you upward—the school has three levels, with the second level higher than the first and the third even higher. This created a unique experience, unlike the usual schools we are familiar with.

In the first half of the module, we visited the site for a few days to learn the importance and how to work with Total Station Machine. We were also simultaneously documenting the site as well as learning the topography.

After the documentation of the entire site and learning how the land and terrain works with the site, we started our design process through Building Systems. Rather than treating systems like Solar energy, wind energy, water harvesting, Material systems, environment and other building services as secondary considerations, we made them central to the design process. 

The challenge was to use these systems as the foundation for creating a sustainable and functional school, ensuring they were thoughtfully integrated into the form itself.

Initially we did start thinking about the design and the systems together which resulted in form driving the system. So we did go one step back to first clear the process of the system. 

Once we decided on a specific system, we began exploring how it could shape the building by sketching rough ideas and testing different possibilities.

For example, in the first image above, a student working on water harvesting designed the roof as a series of bowl-like structures to collect rainwater directly. From there, the design evolved to guide the flow of water through the building, passing through filters and into a collection tank.

In the second image, another student took a different approach to water harvesting by designing canals, also known as CTC (Water Cup Compilation), which directed rainwater into the ground for storage.

In the third image, a student working on a plastic recycling system started with the idea of three major load-bearing walls made from recycled plastic, each color-coded. From this, she developed her design for the school, integrating sustainability into the structure itself.

Each student had a unique way of thinking about their design based on the system they chose to work with. Everyone experimented with different techniques, which allowed us to learn from one another. This process helped us naturally integrate these systems into the architecture, making them essential parts of the design rather than just add-ons.

As we can see in the first image, some students focused on afforestation and water harvesting, starting with the type of forest they wanted to create and how it would grow over time. They explored which trees and vegetation would suit the site best and designed a ground system that could naturally sustain and water the forest. The aim was to develop an ecosystem that could thrive on its own in the long run.

Others also worked with material systems. For example, in the second image, a student experimenting with bamboo as a building material planned to grow a bamboo forest and use it to construct the school. He studied which bamboo species would be ideal for the site and how long it would take to grow.These explorations helped us better understand how different systems function and influenced the way we shaped our designs.

As some students worked on the solar energy system, they calculated the number of solar panels needed and the electricity required to run the school. Since the school operates from 7 AM to 1 PM, they also explored how the extra electricity generated after school hours could be sold. Because the school is near a residential colony, this excess energy could be supplied to nearby buildings, creating a source of revenue to support the school financially.

Meanwhile, some students studied the sun path of the location, analyzing the angles of the sun throughout the day. They used this study to explore different building forms that could respond to sunlight in an interesting way. Similar calculations were done for each system used in the projects, helping us understand their practical impact and efficiency.

We also worked with plans, focusing on creating spaces beyond the classrooms, as these areas play a key role in students’ learning and social interactions during breaks. Additionally, we explored designing classrooms with organic shapes, moving away from the conventional idea that they must be square or rectangular.

To accommodate a specific number of students, we designed custom benches that fit within these new classroom layouts. Through this process, we also questioned the traditional structure of schools—typically rigid, multi-story buildings with fixed divisions. Instead, we explored how a school could be designed as a more open and flexible space, where students have the freedom to learn, interact, and explore beyond the limits of a standard classroom setting.

Working with sections allowed us to engage with the existing topography and explore how the school could function across different levels. This approach helped us design spaces that responded to the natural terrain while creating diverse learning environments at various heights, enhancing both movement and interaction within the school.

In addition, we worked on the structural system, ensuring it informed the overall form of the building. The design process also considered fenestrations, facades, and their relationship with the site’s topography, creating a structure that harmonized with its natural context.

This approach highlighted the often-overlooked interplay between systems and design. By prioritizing them, we shaped the built form while imagining the sensory and spatial experiences it would create. This helped us understand how building systems impact users and the environment, fostering meaningful interactions between the architecture, its context, and its inhabitants.