Mulbekh School, Himalayas, North Indian architecture photos, India building architect
Mulbekh School in North India
30 September 2024
Design: CHYBIK + KRISTOF
Location: Mulbekh, India
Photos by CHYBIK + KRISTOF
Mulbekh School, India
CHYBIK + KRISTOF, in collaboration with the Czech NGO Himalayan Patron and Spring Dales Public School, has unveiled its designs for a new preschool in Mulbekh, North India. The school is the first stage in a broader campus masterplan for cultural preservation that will provide good-quality education to combat the region’s challenges, designed with context-sensitive architecture rooted in local practices.
Children, and especially girls, from remote, ethnic minority communities in the North Indian mountains are disproportionately affected by a lack of education. The harsh winters, heavy snowfall, high mountainous context and a lack of transport have driven local children into the big cities for education and sparked erosion of the region’s rich cultural tapestry. This new masterplan for Mulbekh lays the groundwork for good-quality local education for all children, many of whom have never had the chance to go to school.
Designed by CHYBIK + KRISTOF, the new buildings will accommodate 75 students, with a network of flat accessible spaces that will connect three interior classrooms and an exterior roof classroom. Flat spaces are a rarity in the mountainous Mulbekh region but are essential for important community gatherings in Ladakhi culture, which take place often more than once a day.
The buildings use local construction techniques refined with years of local tradition and experience, paired with principles of modern physics to ensure children can enjoy comfortable access to the campus for a longer school year. This has previously been a challenge in the mountainous climate, but the new preschool will have a passive south-facing design, meaning it can be naturally self-heating and cooling during extreme winter and summer weather. The southern wall, largely glazed, maximises natural light and solar heating, while the northern wall provides storage and a window for cross-ventilation. All these measures will also keep energy use low.
Paying homage to the Ladakhi region’s architecture, each design choice is a characterful reflection of the local topography while materials will be sustainably sourced. Traditional building materials including rammed earth and timber will be used, while horizontal wooden joints are incorporated into the structures to enhance earthquake resistance, helping to distribute seismic forces more evenly. The beige-brown colour of rammed earth mimics the surrounding hills, whilst blue fabric canopies reflect the colour of the sky – all to ensure that the school harmonises with its natural environment and is sensitively rooted in Mulbekh’s history.
Designed in collaboration with the school, as well as local builders, engineers and manufacturers, the masterplan is an exercise in rich contextual and community engagement. Delivering important cultural preservation, the new school will ensure the longevity of Mulbekh by creating a space for the education of a new generation of children.
Ondrej Chybik, Co-Founder of CHYBIK + KRISTOF said: “This school is the first stage in an ambitious campus masterplan to create characterful, high-quality and culturally-sensitive spaces for the education of a new generation of children in the beautiful mountainous Ladhaki region. The climate, topography and a lack of transport have long been a barrier to local education, but a new climate-conscious design – refined with years of local tradition, paired with principles of modern physics – will ensure the longevity of Mulbekh for many years to come.”
Mulbekh School, North India – Building Information
Architect: CHYBIK + KRISTOF – https://chybik-kristof.com/
Location: Mulbekh, North India
Collaborator: Himalayan Patron and Spring Dales Public School
Photo Credit: CHYBIK + KRISTOF
Mulbekh School, Himalayas, North India images / information received 300924
Location: Ladakh, India
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