KSD Studio struck a balance between modern and retro to bring a playful space to the Stellar World School in Mumbai, India.

A flexible, transparent and creative environment is an evident narrative of the Kindergarten at Stellar World school. We have ideated the space to reflect the client’s explorative ethos that blurs the boundaries between learning and play. The design encourages early learners and creative minds to feed their curiosity from their formative years.

A Kindergarten needn’t always offer furniture and strict fixtures, it is rather a space where kids can feel free to explore their creative instincts. Through this, we sought to create a canvas of endless possibilities. We incorporated hallways that inspire play, spatial separators for an immersive learning experience and visual connectivity to nurture a borderless layout.

As one steps in, there is a vertical library that extends over eight storeys to connect the spaces through a string of books. It also helps build confidence and a sense of self-reliance in the kids to independently interact with books. The design includes areas for large and small social activities, an array of classrooms, playspaces, an administrative space, a library, and service zones. A central spine holds the interactive zone, which binds all areas together. This informal learning space thrives on self-directed exploration for young minds.

Venturing further into exploratory play, the classroom enriches interaction between children while also making sure that learning happens at an optimal pace. Responding to the sense of scale and comfort for children, the classroom interior exudes a family-like warmth.

Furniture layouts stir clear from rigid movements and rather focus on flexibility. Be it the stepped cabinetry that acts as a seating space, leather mounds in subtle greens or multidirectional learning tables; the design promotes ease of movement. Moreover, carpeted floors encourage children to sit on the floor and have organic play. Glass walls take precedence to increase transparency. Meanwhile, washrooms embrace white and vibrant greens through a muted palette with a distinctive character.

The Stellar World School-Kindergarten highlights characteristics like independence, transparency and collaboration through its design sensibilities. It shows how openness and richness in a spatial layout can give children an objective and realistic perception of their environment. The result is an inclusive space that shapes the future community’s unique consensus and values right from the inception of a young mind.

This kindergarten is part of an ongoing eight-storey Stellar World building handled by KSD Studio.

Design: KSD Studio
Photography: Devaki Dhuldhoya