A New Project On Playful Elementary School In An Imaginary Urban Context You Need To Know

Project Title: Playful Elementary School in an Imaginary Urban Context
Location: Imaginary Urban Site
Capacity: 300 Students (Class 1–5)
Student Name: Nafis Al Fuad
Academic Program: Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch)
Level & Term: Level 2, Term 2 – Final Project
Studio Mentors: Nasif Sadman Muhe, Shajib Paul
Year: 2025
University: Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology (CUET)

DESIGN CONCEPT:

The central design concept of this project is ‘Freedom within Order.’ The idea reflects the philosophy that children should grow in an environment where creativity, playfulness, and exploration are encouraged, while still being guided by structure, discipline, and spatial order.

Architecturally, this concept is translated through controlled massing, orientation, and staggered block arrangements. The design allows visual openness, movement, and interaction, yet maintains clarity in circulation and functional zoning. The overall form symbolizes how children can develop freely while remaining within an organized educational framework.

PROJECT BRIEF: Playful Elementary School In An Imaginary Urban Context

This project proposes a playful elementary school designed for 300 students within an imaginary urban context. Developed as the Level 2 Term 2 final academic project at Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology (CUET), the school serves students from Class 1 to Class 5.

The academic requirement included 10 classrooms, each accommodating 30 students. Alongside classrooms, the program incorporates essential facilities such as an administration block, teachers’ room, principal’s room, conference room, library, computer laboratory, canteen, and a first aid center. The spatial planning prioritizes child-friendly scale, safety, and interactive learning environments.

The design development follows a phased massing strategy. In Phase 1, the site is organized into three north–south oriented masses connected by bridges, ensuring strong visual connectivity and ease of movement. Phase 2 responds to climatic considerations, where the southern mass is reduced in size to allow prevailing southern winds to pass through the site. This southern block functions as the administration zone, while the larger northern mass is dedicated to student activities. The central mass acts as a grand entry and transition space.

In Phase 3, the north and south masses are slightly rotated and arranged in a staggered manner to respond to site context. This staggered configuration represents the idea of children growing with freedom, curiosity, and playfulness while remaining within a structured and ordered system. The project ultimately aims to create a vibrant, engaging, and nurturing learning environment suitable for young students.

CONTACT DETAILS
Name: Nafis Al Fuad
Phone No : +8801885531528
E-mail : u2206010@student.cuet.ac.bd