Page 106 - EW June 2021 Low Res

Interview

“Schools need to be welcoming attractive institutions”

n architecture and industrial
design alumnus of REC,
ANagpur and IIT-Bombay,
Dinesh Verma is founding
principal partner of the Bengaluru-
based Ace Group Architects (AGA,
estb.1984). Over the past three
decades, this firm has established a
nationwide reputation for the design
and construction of more than 85
pre-primary to Ph D education
institutions across the country.
Among them: Indus International
School, Bengaluru; VIT University,
Chennai; Reva University,
Bengaluru; Dhruv World School,
Pune and BDW International
School, Shillong. Excerpts from an
interview with Dilip Thakore

Over the past few decades, AGA
has earned a national reputation for
designing and commissioning world-
class campuses of some of the country’s
most admired and top-ranked education society. used to build schools that stimulate
institutions. Why is careful and detailed Schools need to be welcoming, and enthuse the next generation
design of education institutions in the attractive institutions where children to think differently. That makes all
public interest? are eager to come every day and the difference. Schools and higher
In the late 1990s, we were invited enjoyably learn academics, life education institutions should
to design the campuses of several skills and sports. In village India, provide enabling environments
new-genre schools including The the public school should be an where learning is an immersive
International School Bangalore; admired institution which children experience, ideas evolve and young
Indus International School, love to attend and adults like to minds think creatively and develop
Bengaluru and Hyderabad; JSS visit. During the day, they should life and problem-solving skills.
International, Ooty and DPS East, be K-12 schools and after school Unfortunately in our country,
Bengaluru among others. Their hours, they should transform into there’s a tendency to blindly
distinctive campuses for the first community centres providing adult follow rules by the book. It’s
time provided infrastructure to education and vocational classes, usually overlooked that rules
enable introduction of new digitally- reading rooms, and sports and prescribe minimum — not even
driven pedagogies. It is in the games facilities for children and comfortable — standards. In AGA,
national interest that education adults. When government schools where we have a headcount of 25
institutions provide children transform into welcoming and architects, design and landscaping
and youth holistic, well-rounded resourceful community centres, professionals, we believe that
education beyond mere academics. entire communities will benefit. buildings and landscaping should
amalgamate and reflect an aura
Some – especially Left – academics Government schools designed and built by and character that inspires learning
believe that capital intensive education PWD architects tend to be unimaginative, and self development. These design
institutions with carefully designed square brick-n-mortar blocks with few principles were applied even in our
buildings and landscaping are a waste of differentiating characteristics. Is there least capital intensive schools which
resources. What’s your comment? a connection between the notoriously offer free-of-charge education —
First, it’s wrong to believe that good poor learning outcomes of government Christel House, Shishu Mandir and
design is necessarily expensive. school children and their invariably drab Indus Community School — all in
Carefully invested capital for future architecture and landscaping? Bengaluru.
generations is never a waste. It needs Physical spaces undoubtedly
to be invested to develop human influence what and how children What are the basic campus design and
resources in mind and body, to learn. Everybody uses the same landscaping rules you would advise all
nurture students who will become raw material — bricks and mortar. greenfield school promoters to follow?
contributing and highly productive The differentiating factor is how Architects and landscape designers
leaders, managers and workers of creatively and effectively material is of schools need to bear in mind that

106 EDUCATIONWORLD JUNE 2021