Case Studies/Critique of Related Existing School Structures and Campuses

ARC 1405 SEC 7

Ar. Leslie Santos
Introduction
Designing a good campus learning spaces means considering a lot of things, especially organizing flexible
spaces for the students. The goal in designing school and campuses is to improve student comfort and focus on
studying by creating a collaborative learning space that can mold and adapts to the changes as time goes by. In
studying Architecture, school buildings and campuses are one of the complex structures to design and thorough
planning of spaces is needed as it is the architect’s job to provide variety of comfortable and safe learning spaces,
and spaces for recreational activities and sports. There are a lot of well-known school buildings and campuses that
have exceptional space planning and aesthetically pleasing design built around the world like the Bath Schools of
Art and Design. Following the university’s request to design the building with adaptability to the changing needs of
the business without compromising the day-to-day operation of the university. Since the building completion in the
late 1970s, flexibility and adaptive reuse of the spaces to achieve a sustainable and regenerative environment
through applying circular economy principles. Another example of an exquisite school building is the Pearl Fashion
Academy with an architectural design inspired from formal geometry. It is a practical attempt to control the
microclimate inside the structure using passive cooling techniques and modern adaptations of classic Indo-Islamic
architectural features. As for an example of school campus design planning, Panjab University is one of the role
models for school campus design in India. Its main campus is situated on 550 acres in Sector 14,25 in Chandigarh.
The Gandhi Bhawan, a three-winged building, the central library, and the fine arts museum make up its heart. Even
though designing and planning school buildings and campuses differ depending on the environmental factors of
the site, there are still some common design factors that every place can use as a reference in the design
development of educational structures. Designing a performing arts school is one of the departments included in
designing a school building within a campus. Even in Region IV, where there are no schools offering these
programs, there are schools that provide courses in performing arts, film, and cinematography. However, not all
schools from different regions in the Philippines offer these courses.
Project Definition of the Major Plate
The project to be developed is a collegiate school located in Calamba, Laguna specializing in performing
arts. Less than a kilometer to the east of SM City Laguna, on a 39, 309.85 square meter land, the proposed campus
project would be built. It is a campus project development but for this project, the performing arts school will be
developed first followed by the other departments since every department should be provided with their own
buildings. Programs in film and music, which are also crucial in performance, as well as theater and other
performing arts will be available through the performing arts department. Other departments must be included in
order to fulfill the requirements of the specialized program's curricula, which necessitates planning the space
requirements for each department that offers courses covered by the performing arts curricula, such as Speech
Communication, Political Science, Psychology, Fine Arts, Philippine History, Accountancy, and Linguistics.
3 Existing Case Studies of Existing School Structures and Campuses
Bath Schools of Art and Design
The building used to be an excellent factory building until it was purchased by Bath Spa University in 2016
to move their School of Art and Design, designing to combine the faculty and extend over six sites and several
buildings. Accommodating 800 students while fulfilling the original intent of the design, for the building to be able
to adapt to a future changes and new functionality of the building. Adaptability is the key point of the school, giving
the buildings durability by incorporating a loose fit design because of the possibility that the way the users occupy
or use the spaces will change unpredictably over time, as it always is in art school. The Farrell/Grimshaw Architects
provided a new cross-laminated timber one meter above the existing level, on a new Vierendeel trusses supported
by its existing steel structures. They used a network of “plug-and-play” facilities operated at high level through the
Vierendeel structure, allowing the spaces below to be repositioned as required. Natural and self-finishing materials
were used to provide sturdiness, minimize carbon intensity, and provide a little warmth and tactility to the interior
spaces. They added a timber lining to the façade panels which provided either a working space for the building
occupants, or acoustic absorption in offices and teaching spaces.
 Raftery, P. (2022). Fine art studio from mezzanine [Image]. Retrieved 4 September 2022, from https://www.miesarch.com/work/4426.

They also installed over 100 new roof lights and clerestory
glazing to minimize the reliance of the building on artificial
daylight and help improve its environment for various uses. The
architects kept the existing façade system of the building with
interchangeable glass reinforced plastic (GRP) and glazed
panels but with a much-improved energy performance. It was
made possible by replacing the existing single glazing with a
double-glazed module while new insulation was installed behind
the renovated GRP panels, and they predicted a reduction of
around 80% of thermal heat loss through the envelope. The
airtightness of the building envelope was also improved by the
renovation of the façade system.

Grimshaw Architects. (2022). Bath School of Art and Design [Image]. Retrieved 4 September 2022,
from https://grimshaw.global/projects/gallery/?i=2049&p=diagrambathspa.

Grimshaw Architects. (2022). Bath School of Art and Design [Image]. Retrieved 4 September 2022, from
https://grimshaw.global/projects/gallery/?i=2049&p=diagrambathspa.
 Grimshaw Architects. (2019). Bath Schools of Art and Design [Photograph]. https://grimshaw.global/projects/education/bath-school-of-art-and-design/

Grimshaw Architects. (2020). Plan [Photograph]. https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/buildings/grimshaw-transforms-its-furniture-factory-into-building-for-bath-spa-university-2

 Casey, H. (n.d.). Bath Spa University [Photograph]. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/161074124152629120/

All HVAC systems for most spaces of the building allow free cooling from direct outside air, avoiding chiller and
pumping energy use during mid-season periods. Various air systems with controlled ventilation also allow the fans
to go down when demand is lower and when the spaces are less occupied. The chillers are also rated as ultra-low
global warming potential refrigerant because of its high efficiency. A PV array is incorporated on the roof for an on-
site renewable energy generation with an estimated total of 76,000 kWh/yr on-site renewable energy generation.
As the school wanted to make the best of the location, they wanted the school to be “open to all”, retaining the
completely open riverside with the landscaping and picnic tables as its public amenity space. Allowing the public
to access the art shop, café and connected break out spaces, and permanent gallery space to ensure that it can
also contribute to the local community. This openness guarantees a higher degree of usage of the building
contributing and supporting the economic sustainability of the school. Moreover, it also helps with the regeneration
of the surrounding area as it is being actively used by a more diverse range of individuals. The surrounding area
has been enhanced with a net increase in planting of native plants and trees. Internal louvers were installed on the
building to avoid light pollution from the building onto the banks of the Avon River. The pathways were designed
with the convenience of users in mind aiming for a sustainable travel to and from the site. Showers and parking
facilities for cyclists have been provided with new cycling routed created, and electric car charging stations for
visitors and the university’s vehicle. A footpath adjacent to the site leads directly to the center of the university,
allowing students and local residents to walk into town, to two train stations, or to nearby student halls.
 Wakefield, C. (2022). Bath School of Art and Design [Image]. Retrieved 4 September 2022, from https://www.architecture.com/awards-and-competitions-landing-
page/awards/riba-regional-awards/riba-south-west-award-winners/2021/bath-schools-of-art-and-design.

The landscaping of the structure is well-planned as they have already considered the flow of both the students,
faculty, and the visitors within the school while also connecting the walkways to the train station. Moreover, the
flexibility of spaces should be noted as arts schools often change the functionality of spaces depending on the
needs and circumstances. It is also important to note that leisure and recreational areas are important in planning
educational structures. Considering the environment and offered programs, space planning is of utmost importance
to avoid disturbances for each program especially as most of them deals with noises: music and film. In a campus
development project, it is like urban planning but in a smaller scale. Controlling the flow of the students, faculties,
and visitors as well as carefully planning the connections of each walkway.

Pearl Fashion Academy

The design of the Pearl Fashion Academy is inspired from formal geometry with cost-effective design
concept. The site was excavated to a depth of 4 meters to create an underbelly, and the two-story structure, which
is made up of classrooms, studios, and offices, was placed on pilots above the voids. The building is perfectly
rectangular in shape with the least amount of exposed surface area. It is partially sunk to segregate access and to
also help the space to protect itself from the heat of the desert. The elongated features of the structure and the
use of white colors help create an illusion of wider space and extra space, also preferring to use short vertical
mass. The computerized shadow analysis that carefully tracks the sun's passage throughout the day and
throughout the seasons creates the curved geometry. The building's anchor is located in the underbelly, which has
a ramp built for usage during fashion displays. It is a variation on the conventional baoli and regulates the
environment's temperature via evaporative cooling, thermal banking, and earth sheltering. The cafeteria and other
student gathering spaces are housed within the school building, which also functions as a recreation and exhibition
facility. The thermally banked, self-shading sliver courtyards assist regulate the interior temperatures and open-
step wells while still letting ample natural light into studios and classrooms. The undulating blocks that define the
openings to the lower level are surrounded by open and glass-walled pathways, which are typically used as a
casual space for student activities like a café ramp and seating area.
 IMAGES OF THE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE BUILDING BY MORPHOGENESIS ARCHITECTS. (2022). Pearl Academy of Fashion, Jaipur [Image]. Retrieved 4
September 2022, from https://www.wallpaper.com/architecture/great-barrier-reef-house-jda-co-architects-lizard-island-australia#0_pic_8

The Morphogenesis architects incorporated a number of green architecture features, including evaporative cooling,
which raises the entire structure above the ground. The building's underbelly was also excavated to create a natural
thermal sink, which is cooled by water bodies via evaporative cooling, creating a microclimate. By using an
evaporative cooling technique, the water body from the stepwells, which is fed by recycled water from the sewage
treatment plant, aids in regulating the building's microclimate. Courtyards and stepwells, as noted before, the
structure depends on the self-shading courts to prevent solar ingress and regulate the temperatures of the interior
spaces and open-stepped wells to provide adequate daylight inside studios. The entire structure is naturally
constructed and cross-ventilated on a single bay, 9-meter grid. As Mutkas are set on flat roofs, 2.5 centimeters
apart, and the spaces between are filled with sand and broken bricks, topped with a thin layer of concrete, a
traditional Indian thermal insulation technique was adopted. The insulation for the roof was provided by the fill and
air between the Mutkas. A double skin feature known as "Jaali," which is frequently employed in Rajhastani
architecture, protects the building by shading it. The double skin acts as a thermal barrier between the building and
its surroundings.

IMAGES OF THE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE BUILDING BY MORPHOGENESIS Rinaldi, M. (2022). PEARL ACADEMY OF FASHION BY MORPHOGENESIS
ARCHITECTS. (2022). Pearl Academy of Fashion, Jaipur [Image]. Retrieved 4 September [Image]. Retrieved 4 September 2022, from http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o-
2022, from https://www.wallpaper.com/gallery/architecture/pearl-academy-of-fashion-jaipur. NFtjiFs8E/UVcx0FEZdII/AAAAAAAAczY/hn5iX8EUEdU/s1600/Pearl+
Academy+of+Fashion+by+Morphogenesis01.jpg.

Kuonsongtham, R. (n.d.). Floor Plan-Pearl academy of fashion [Photograph]. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9d/98/b4/9d98b422e9598f84783b2dfc614280e6.jpg

The building optimizes over buildability as the space planning were done for the ease of construction despite having
curvatures for each section of spaces. It is important to note the technique they used for their ventilation system
as India and Philippines both experience extreme hot weather. The usage of water bodies as their cooling method
through evaporation can also be considered with treated rainwater as the source of the water bodies. Although the
structure is enclosed within four walls and has landscaping inside the building, it lacks the open spaces needed
for a campus which is important as it gives the students more options for the type of spaces they can use and
utilize.
 Pearl Fashion Academy. (2022). Pearl Academy of Fashion, Jaipur Campus Architecture [Image]. Retrieved 4 September 2022, from
https://paflib.wordpress.com/2011/01/11/pearl-academy-of-fashion-jaipur-campus-architecture/.

Panjab University
The Panjab University was created by Pierre Jeanneret under Le Corbusier's direction and is a public
college university that is situated in Sector 14,25 of Chandigarh, India. It was moved from Lahore, Pakistan, to
Chandigarh, India, from where it was originally situated. The university includes 190 affiliated institutions distributed
across the districts, 75 teaching and research departments, and 15 departments on its main campus in Chandigarh.
As a self-sustaining township, it has campus infrastructural facilities like: SBI and Post Office, shopping center,
health center, swimming pool and gymnasium, sport grounds and open-air theatre, botanical gardens and well-
maintained parks, guest houses and faculty house, seminar complexes, alumni house, community center, staff
club, school, and daycare center for the children of employees, 8 hostels for both boys and girls, working women
hostels and 2 sports hostels. There are a few landmark buildings from the townlike school campus: Gandhi
Bhawan, a three-winged building that is the most artistic building on campus, is regarded as the pride of the
university. The Fine Arts Museum, each of its little galleries has a hyperbolic polaroid roof, and they are grouped
around a courtyard (umbrella shaped roof). The roof is regarded as both a structural and architectural wonder.
Another important building on the site is the University Library, which has red sandstone veneers and an RCC
frame. Another iconic structure is the Student Center, which has a ramp encircling its cylinder body and a circular
foundation.

Garg, A. (2022). Zoning [Photograph]. https://issuu.com/agrimagarg3/docs/architectural_design_major

 The Student Center is a three-storey building housing an
old coffee shop, recreation room, offices of the student
council, and a couple of eateries while the adjoining
shops serve all kinds of street foods and drinks. The
structure is circular in shape with a ramp constructed on
its sides to go to the upper floors. There is a lake around
the student center lined with bottle palms and walkways
made of concrete and there are also sitting places lined
beside the lake.

Bahga, S. (2006). Student Centre, Panjab University [Photograph]. https://en.wikipedia.org/

wiki/Panjab_University_Campus_Students_Council#/media/File:StuC_PU.jpg

The Botany Garden has many sections such as: water-

garden, cactus house, fern house, orchid house, two
green houses, one glass house, tropical plant house, etc.
Special attractions in the botany garden for the visitors
are the Arboretum with almost 225 species of trees.

Picture: Garg, A. (2022). Botany Garden of Panjab University [Photograph].

https://issuu.com/agrimagarg3/docs/architectural_design_major

Gandhi Bhawan is an auditorium hall, situated in the

middle of a pond, that houses a substantial collection
of books on Gandhi. With its lotus-shaped form, which
gives the impression that it is floating on a body of
water, it is the most recognizable and well-known
feature of Panjab University. The building, which is of
great architectural significance, serves as the focal
point on the main North-East to South-West axis. Its
walls are made of sandstone with evergreen trees
surrounding the building, a vast lawn separates the
pool from the surrounding buildings.

Picture: Jain, S., & Arora, V. (2019). GANDHI BHAWAN [Photograph].

https://www.accartbooks.com/us/book/gandhi-bhawan/
Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar Department of Laws is a column beamed two-storey structure consisting of two blocks. It
is approximately 120x50 ft building covered in sandstone. In an institution, daylight plays an important role in
classroom were windows made for each classroom are built to allow a proper amount of light to enter the room as
well as providing ventilation. As most people travel using private vehicles, there is a parking lot on the left side of
the building with 90 degrees angled parking space.

Worldwide Transcripts. (n.d.). Panjab University [Photograph]. https://worldwidetranscripts.com/blog-panjab-university/

University Business School of Panjab University is a

rectangular shaped structure that has G+2 building,
and is column beamed. At the side of the building is a
ramp constructed for entryway. All classrooms have
windows for natural light and ventilation as well as
lights installed for artificial ventilation. Parking area is
placed at the right side of the building with two-
wheeler parking slots made at the side of the front of
the building.
Picture: EasyShiksha. (n.d.). University Business School (UBS), Panjab University |
Top College List by EasyShiksha [Photograph]. https://easyshiksha.com/University-
Business-School-%28UBS%29--Panjab-University-259
 The University Institute of Hotel and Tourism
Management is located near the guest house and its
front is facing toward the north-east side. Classrooms
on this building are rectangular in shape with a marble
finish flooring, doors and windows are made of
aluminum. There are administrative areas, classrooms,
assembly hall, drinking water areas, labs made for the
hotel management students, meeting hall, and
reception area on the entrance. Parking slots are
provided beside the building.

TNN. (2017). UIHTM invites applications for two courses [Photograph].

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/uihtm-invites-applications-for-two-
courses/articleshow/59552815.cms

The Department of Art History and Visual Arts is

opposite the Gandhi Bhuwan, it is a single-storey
structure, and this department is smaller compared to
the other departments and it only offers post-
graduation degree. At the entrance there is a corridor,
there are also classrooms, some studio halls, an
administrative area, office areas, reception, etc.
Building is made of concrete and a green area is
placed at the sides of the building.
Department Art History and Visual Arts. (2018). [Photograph].
https://www.facebook.com/2028684197405586/photos/a.2028684464072226/2028684434
072229/?type=3&theater

The Department of Physics, Department of Mathematics, and Department of Computers are all connected with
each other through corridors. They almost have the same structure and plans, and they are situated at the back of
the Student Centre. Within these buildings, circular columns are constructed at the outer sides of the building.
Staircase is provided at the left side of the building as there is no lift constructed in the building. The meeting hall
and office rooms are on the 2nd floor while the classrooms and labs are on the 1st floor.
 Garg, A. (2022). [Photograph]. https://issuu.com/agrimagarg3/docs/architectural_design_major

The Administrative Block occupies the most noticeable

place on the campus that attracts the attention of visitors,
it is located close to the teaching departments as well as
the residential quarters. The building is constructed using
reinforced concrete consisting of a basement and five
floors, each floors project over the floor below, protecting
the glazing from rowdy weather. In order to
accommodate the overwhelming flow of building users
entering and exiting the building, separate entrances are
provided for the university staff, visitors, as well as the
movement of goods. At the front of the building is a
rectangular pool designed with an arched concrete
canopy which makes the entrance inviting. The
surrounding of the buildings is beautifully landscaped
with trees and flowers.
Panjab University. (n.d.). [Photograph]. https://puchd.ac.in/pu-profile.php

The modular and practical design of the A.C. Joshi

Library places all of the reading rooms to the north, the
staff area to the south, and the stack areas in between.
At the entrance of the building, there is an extended
cantilever projection of about 304.8 cm and past it there
is a plinth of about 182.88 cm. The constructed columns
are rectangular and after the corridor is the entrance
gate. For a better overall perspective of the area when
reading, two primary reading halls are oriented toward
the Shivalik hills. Windows are made on all sides of the
floors for a better reading ambience as natural light is
maximized during the day, aside from that, it can also
help conserve energy during the day.
Hindustan Times. (2018). Panjab University eyes Unesco heritage status for AC Joshi
Library [Photograph]. https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/panjab-university-eyes-
unesco-heritage-status-for-ac-joshi-library/story-yuk6WNgi9qFOKg2EHrLTXI.html
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