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.”
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“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.
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![](https://www.ecoid.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/012015_IBS_0872.jpg)
“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.