Vidyashilp Academy in Bengaluru, India by Morphogenesis

Situated on a 17-acre site in Bengaluru’s northern suburb of Yelahanka, Vidyashilp Academy’s design philosophy is to integrate Nature into the educational environment, extending learning beyond the traditional spaces. This approach speaks to the school’s vision of preparing students for life and leadership by shaping their interaction with both the natural world and the built surroundings.

The planning harnesses Bengaluru’s relatively mild, temperate climate. Approximately 700 existing trees have been retained and integrated into the design scheme. The site is laid out along the north-south axis, with green ‘lungs’ of teak trees, establishing a circulation flow throughout the campus. All building blocks in the complex are oriented to open towards the green spine.

The layout is designed to direct gentle breezes through the multiple courtyards that break up the mass. Open green spaces, interspersed with the classroom blocks, create a flexible programme, enabling students to engage in a variety of outdoor play and learning activities and congregate in informal settings. Each classroom block features internal ventilation courts populated with air-purifying plants. The central corridors are illuminated by light wells while service areas are placed towards the west, part of a passive design strategy to mitigate solar heat gain.

The architectural language emphasises functionality and identity, where its inside-out campus enables students to better connect with their immediate environments. The façade features glass fiber reinforced concrete (GRC) jaalis, employed as both functional and aesthetic design elements. They feature modular perforation patterns, with openness ranging from 20–25 per cent to 45–50 per cent, calibrated to balance ventilation, light, and privacy.

For its focus on creating a supportive and friendly learning environment, the project has been recognised as a Happy School by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s Bangkok-based Happy School Project, which advocates for a paradigm shift that places happiness at the centre of education, policy and practice. It has also been awarded the highest level Global Leadership certificate by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).

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PROJECT DATA

Project Name   
Vidyashilp Academy

Location            
Yelahanka, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Completion Date
2023

Site Area           
70,298.67 square metres

Built-up Area    
31,128 square metres

Client/Owner   
Vidya Shilp India Pvt Ltd; Century Real Estate Holdings Pvt Ltd

Architecture Firm          
Morphogenesis

Principal Architects
Manit Rastogi; Sonali Rastogi     

Design Team
Stuti Jasoria; Karthikeyan D.; Barani P. Karthik; Apoorva T. R.

Mechanical & Electrical Engineer
Design Tree Consultants

Civil Engineer   
Century Real Estate Holdings Pvt Ltd (in-house team)

Structural Engineer
CONCONS Consultants Pvt Ltd

Project Management Consultancy
Century Real Estate Holdings Pvt Ltd (in-house team)

HVAC & Plumbing
Design Tree Consultants

Landscape Architect      
Morphogenesis

Environmental Consultant         
LEAD Consultancy

Photos
Shamanth Patil