Gems International School, Kochi

Architect: Prof. Charanjit S. Shah
Firm: Creative Group

The building keeps the tradition of Jaali work alive, reminding the students to embrace the new and the advanced, while staying true to their self and tradition. The screens act as a vertical extension of the building’s open courtyards. Standing tall, these screens cut out the sun’s glare and protect the building. The screens are not just an aesthetic treat that cast interesting shadows and play with light, but are of functional importance as well. In the process, they create those ever-changing patterns over the blank elevation walls. The lattice screens remind the users every day that nature paints the most exquisite landscape as long as we can provide a suitable medium to do so. Syncopating the emotive experience, the child experiences a continuum of youth advancing from the primary, secondary to high school around the tranquility of natural surroundings scripted by the architect.

The hollowed-out space scooped out from the building’s central mass allows the hot air to escape creating convection currents of natural winds cooled by the surrounding green barrier and the river. Efficient building materials are used with minimum heat gain to have a comfortable indoor and outdoor environment in the school. With basic unit of AAC blocks, the Pre Cast structure has been opted for to achieve better quality and speedy construction. Environment Responsive Building Facade, with minimal heat gain and Reflective

Index create a suitable environment for students. Use of Double Glass and Brick Tile Cladding for the facade reduces the effect of the harsh sun.