Ivy Bound International School
Recipient of the World Architecture Festival 2015 –
Finalist for School Category (Completed Buildings) – Highly Commended
Institutional Project
Ivy Bound International School is a newly founded progressive school for early learning located in Bangkok. This is a design not aimed to resemble a typical school but to evoke the free-flowing and airy atmosphere of a modern gallery house.
“The school’s dining room where children are taught table etiquette.”
“All important communal stair to facilitate the children’s daily journey up to their classrooms.”
The site used to be a residential house sitting in a mature garden off a leafy street with six existing old rain trees (Samanea Saman) dominating the site. The design direction was to have the school fitted around these living sculptures. As these trees have a substantial root volume, placement of the building footprint and structure had to ensure the wellbeing of these trees and was one of the big challenges in the construction process.
“Arrival bridge connecting drop-off arrival to the school entrance.”
Inspired by a child’s play blocks, a series of geometric volumes are arranged around the existing trees and gardens. The resulting C-shaped orientation creates a lush courtyard lawn centered on one of the signature trees, providing shade, security and a central connection to all learning spaces. The design provides a variety of learning environments like the gardens, pool pavilion, kitchen and dining room where the students learn in a less structured way.
