In Vijayawada, India, multidisciplinary design studio andblack design studio has delivered a unique preschool of organic forms and integrated landscaping that aims to reflect the school’s forward-thinking approach to education through its design.

Called Cocoon, the facility is an extension of the Bloomingdale International School. It occupies a 4,000-square-foot area within the campus, adjoining the existing school building. 

A sunken courtyard connects the two buildings. It follows the site’s topography, ascending towards the new extension. This site arrangement provided the architects an opportunity to develop something unique for the institution. The result is a structure that deviates from typical school design through the coalescence of the built form, landscape, and interiors, where spaces are fluid and interconnected.

The line between spaces for playing and learning is blurred. The courtyard reflects this as it can serve as a playground, classroom, or amphitheater. The use of full-height glass panels and skylights also disrupts the boundary between inside and outside.

Additionally, Cocoon’s design departs from that of traditional schools through its reliance on built form over bright colors to generate visual interest. As noted by the architects, the building was designed to not merely be a part of the landscape but to be a form of the landscape itself. This is most clear through the distinctive curved, undulating roof, which resembles waves or rolling hills.

The roof is covered in turf and sits on an unobstructed structural space without the need for internal support or partitions. It was conceptualized using computational tools and constructed using prefabricated elements. 

Construction techniques involved directing unique junction plates at each intersection of bent circular hollow sections. The curvature was attained by varying the heights of fabricated and assembled junctions. The external skin was achieved through the use of a ferrocement shell integrated above the metal structure.

From within, the roof’s structural elements can be seen. They, along with the structure’s curved form, are highlighted by generous amounts of natural light that fills the space.

In addition to Cocoon, andblack design studio has also recently designed a multifunctional black box theater called Darwin Bucky in Ahmedabad, India, which comprises prefabricated components.