Investments in the future of Ukraine

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From typical standard schools to original projects

Neither the teachers, nor, above all, the children, believe in the success of the introduction of progressive teaching methods on the old (standard) basis. To promote design thinking and a creative approach to solving problems in a typical space of a post-Soviet school is, you agree, nonsense. The space for training should be creative and comfortable. But this is the minimum. I would like the architecture of a modern Ukrainian school to be multi-functional, smart and sustainable. It is also available, including for inclusive groups. So that she also formed an aesthetic taste and stimulated the development of analytical thinking in children.

Architectural and design solutions for high schools are still terra incognita in Ukraine.

It is too early to talk about a state strategy to change the model of the educational environment: such a strategy either does not exist, or it is at stages that are far from being implemented. Against this background, private educational institutions act as landmarks, experimental sites, and creative incubators. And they set the bar for the entire field of education, and at a high — as they say — European level.

One of the computer classes of the gymnasium "A+"

Game-technical methods are actively introduced into the programs of primary classes, and, accordingly, colors and textures play a leading role in the interiors for elementary school students. Architectural and design solutions for high schools are still terra incognita in Ukraine. Therefore, the "A+ Gymnasium" project, developed by the KAN and ARCHIMATIKA team, is interesting both in itself and as a precedent. An interview with some members of the group of creators of a new educational institution, which opened its doors on September 1, 2018, on the territory of the metropolitan residential complex "Comfort Town", - an attempt to assess the key features of the architecture of the schools of the future, the connection of architectural know-how with the educational concept, and the prospects for their widespread implementation .

 

Concept three priorities

Tatiana Kurmaz
director of the network of educational institutions "A+"

PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA: Using the example of the "A+" gymnasium, we want to analyze the relationship between architecture and the educational concept of the school of the future. And therefore the first question: how close is this relationship? What is the correlation between the architectural project and the curriculum, taking into account all the innovations of today?

Tatyana Kurmaz: The main distinguishing feature of the school of the future from the point of view of architecture and the proper organization of space is first of all the fact that here you will see a number of non-standard zones that do not exist in a regular school. We strived to create an architecture that would not put pressure on the child, but would stimulate his interest in learning, the desire for knowledge, so that he would be interesting and comfortable here. All spaces of the gymnasium are multifunctional, they are capable of transformation. For example, we have a lecture hall, which in a matter of seconds turns into a full-fledged cinema, and the school canteen, thanks to ergonomics and installed projection equipment, can be used for any format of meetings, school events. The school has a transformer assembly hall with the most modern light and sound equipment, which also serves as a site for the school theater laboratory, several universal studios with furniture that allow you to model the learning space according to the individual request of the teacher, and a library, which is a full-fledged information hub of the gymnasium. And there are many such premises - these are specialized classrooms-laboratories, studios, recreation areas.

Children's playground in front of the central entrance to the gymnasium "A+"

Despite the restrained general colors of the school complex, on each floor there are bright "spots" of recreation - these are comfortable rest areas for children, where they can sit at the computer and just chat.

Gymnasium "A+" is ecological, it is eco-friendly. It is equipped with heat pumps with a geothermal field, and we use the heat of the earth for heating and air conditioning, installed solar panels and water purification systems. All this makes it possible to show children on a practical example how to carefully use natural resources, to use the inexhaustible potential of renewable energy, how to properly relate to the world in which we live. And an important factor is our independence from the city's heating networks, as well as reducing the load on the city's general electric network.

For a long time, we developed our own path, our own educational concept, and once we decided, we laid it as the basis of the architectural one.

We strived to create an architecture that would not put pressure on the child, but would stimulate his interest in learning, the desire for knowledge

Today, both parents and children are tired of traditional authoritarian pedagogy and have turned to the opposite - alternative forms of education. These are two extremes: either complete freedom, "I want to study, I want to go, I want to not go", or state-style schools. State schools are so constrained within the regulatory framework that quick changes and reforms are simply impossible, they are not very mobile. I have worked in the state education system for 15 years and I know that no matter what slogans about the freedom of teacher's creativity are sounded now, unfortunately, the state does not have the tools to implement them. Therefore, it is private schools that are the main platform for all changes in education, the engine of reforms, because only here can the educational process be constructed in real time.

The library of the "A+" gymnasium with bright shelves can be used as a chamber space for lectures

I would call our educational concept a model of three priorities — education, sports and creativity. None of the components of this triangle can be deleted from the curriculum. In the public school, there is a bias towards education, and sport, which is called physical education, is just exercise. There is no time at all for creativity.

A child must not just study, he must engage in game sports, devote time to sports every day, have the opportunity to express himself creatively and choose the way to implement it. The "A+" gymnasium has a school theater, choreography studio, gymnastics and media studios, music and art classes. We paid no less attention to their equipment than to equipping the auditoriums.

Private schools are recognized as the main platform for all changes in education, the engine of reforms

PM: In the process of developing the educational concept of the gymnasium, were you inspired by any prototypes?

T.K.: It was a symbiosis of ideas. We had the opportunity to study the experience of advanced foreign educational institutions, primarily British schools, but at the same time we did not reject the positive aspects of Ukrainian pedagogy. Education in Britain is quite strict and conservative, but they managed to find the right motivation for students. I understood that if everything is put together correctly (not everything is broken and rebuilt), taking into account all the possibilities of the rapidly changing world of technology, the society in which our children have to find themselves, then we will get our own educational product, and it will be no worse than foreign analogues.

Scientific research laboratory of gymnasium "A+"

We created the BeBest program, which supports and nurtures leadership qualities in children. We rewrote school programs, put them on a project basis. For example, we teach physics, chemistry, biology, natural science, and geography in full (we consulted with the Ministry of Education). At the same time, we organized the presentation of the material, outlined the interrelationships between disciplines with the aim of forming a complex vision of the world in children. We created specialized classes and a scientific laboratory in the gymnasium, where you can conduct complex research at the intersection of physics, chemistry, and biology.

Our educational concept can be called a model of three priorities — education, sports and creativity

Today's children receive a maximum of information through the media and the Internet, they think in images and pictures, they have developed the so-called clip thinking. On the one hand, it is necessary to use it, and on the other hand, it is very important to develop systemic and analytical thinking, to develop the left hemisphere.

And also, knowing that children are much more willing to do homework in the circle of their peers, we provided all the conditions for them to be able to do it right in the gymnasium. And we made the curriculum itself so that the teachers had all the opportunities to present the material within the framework of the lessons - in the gymnasium, we combine lessons in pairs, which reduces the amount of daily preparations.

Students of the "A+" gymnasium have the opportunity to use professional equipment

PM: Which of the various functional spaces of the school make you feel particularly proud?

T.K.: All the premises of the school are bricks of a single concept, they complement each other. The subject of my personal pride is the teacher's. Spacious, 250 sq. m. m, it is formed according to the open-space principle. Each teacher has a separate full-fledged workplace. There is a shared recreation area equipped with a coffee machine, a refrigerator, and comfortable sofas. I am a teacher and I know better than anyone that the profession of a teacher is associated with great psycho-emotional costs. And here the teacher can feel as comfortable as possible.

And, of course, I am delighted with our bright recreations, the lecture hall, which is not available in standard schools, and our laboratories.

In general, I like the project of the gymnasium here and there. Here, everything eloquently testifies to the environmental friendliness and ergonomics of the space. I think the children will love their future school as much as we do.

 

"This is a complex and unique object!"

Alexander Sirenko
project manager of the gymnasium "A+"

PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA: How atypical for the field of education is the "A+" gymnasium project? Did you have to face any difficulties in the process of ego realization?

Alexander Sirenko: It is safe to say that from the point of view of the architectural concept, there is no other similar object in Kyiv. Theoretically, it would be possible to abandon such super-complex architectural details. But if we decided to create an expressive, memorable building, a kind of dominant for the whole area, then we had to find solutions for its implementation.

The architects of the project decided to give the roof of the gymnasium a memorable shape. This beautiful expressive detail was very difficult and expensive to implement. Of course, it was possible to solve the design more easily. It would be faster, cheaper for the investor and easier from an engineering point of view. But it was about the school of the future.

An interior find from SVOYA studio: on each floor of the "A+" gymnasium there is a bright recreation area equipped with modular furniture

We worked on implementation issues with the largest contracting organizations in Ukraine. Almost everything was refused. Nevertheless, we managed to find specialists who completed the project task.

PM: Does the building of the "A+" gymnasium meet global sustainability trends? Can it be called energy efficient?

A. S.: Absolutely. We conceived a completely autonomous gymnasium, independent from the system of centralized city heating. We bought 170 German heat pumps and built a geothermal field under the stadium. The pumps are installed, the equipment setup was successful - from the heat pumps we get hot water for the building's heating system, hot water for the water supply system, and they also allow us to get cold water for the building's air conditioning system without using additional equipment.

We decided to create an expressive, memorable building, a kind of dominant for the whole area

To explain as simply as possible, the principle of operation of the geothermal field is that in the summer, when the air conditioning system is working, we supply hot water to the system of pipelines, which are located in the ground at a depth of 70 m. The ground around the wells heats up, and in winter we use this heat. In winter, we remove heat from the water and supply cold water to the wells, and in summer we use it to cool the building. For the first time in Ukraine, such a large-scale building is equipped with such a system.

PM: And on what principle were construction and finishing materials chosen?

A. S.: Complete environmental friendliness is the main requirement of the investor. We focused on compliance of all materials with two parameters — the safety of their use in a children's institution, as well as reliability and vandalism. For example, floor coverings were tested for the release of phenols, formaldehydes and suspended alcohols. We made a whole "pie": completely imitated a concrete floor, poured a screed, applied a layer of primer, glue. All this lasted for 28 days, and then we took this experimental layer to the laboratory, where it was heated, cooled, and tested under load.

The lecture hall of the "A+" gymnasium can be transformed into a cinema

Finishing materials had to meet the specific requirements that we present to the school. For example, ceilings. They just look ordinary, but pay attention: even in the hall there is no echo thanks to the sound-absorbing effect of the panels. We found out that it turned out to be the results of a scientific study, according to which many teachers by the age of 40 suffer from laryngitis due to the background noise in the classroom: the sound reflects off the floor or ceiling, forcing teachers to constantly raise their voices. The use of acoustic materials suppresses this background noise. There is silence in the classroom, even if someone rustles or whispers - and the teacher strains the ligaments less.

Gymnasium "A+" is fully autonomous, independent from the system of centralized city heating

On the second and third floors, in the corridors, a special linoleum with a thickness of 5 mm was used (thickness of the standard is 2,5 mm). Here, too, we relied on the results of scientific research: if a child falls on such a shock-absorbing linoleum, the probability of receiving a serious injury in the form of a bruise or fracture is as much as 30% lower. In addition, these additional 2,5 mm perform a noise isolation function.

In Ukraine, there are no regulations regulating the thickness of the covering on the playground. And in Europe they exist. There is even a ratio between the height of the attraction and the thickness of the rubber coating. The maximum height of the attraction on the playground of the "A+" gymnasium is 3,5 m. This is the upper point, and in theory, a child should not climb there, we have limited access to it. But they played it safe. If some particularly quick-witted person still manages to climb up and suddenly falls off, then serious injury is excluded - 4 cm of rubber is self-mortizing. This reduces the risk of injury from falling on the playground by 80%.

The assembly hall of the "A+" gymnasium is designed for 200 seats. It can be used for school theater performances, concerts and scientific conferences

PM: As for the ergonomics of the furniture, it can be assumed that close attention was also paid to it?

A. S.: We studied the assortment of Ukrainian manufacturers of furniture and sports equipment, but did not find everything that was necessary. Therefore, they ordered sports equipment of the famous Elan brand in Europe, in Slovenia.

As for the furniture, we bought some in Ukraine, some in Europe. They ordered something from our furniture makers, I provided samples. For example, the furniture installed in the main lobby and in the central halls should withstand 40-50 thousand rubles. cycles of use.

Alexey Martynenko
the head of the sports department of the gymnasium "A+"

PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA: Since, as we have already found out, sport is one of the three equally important components of the educational program of the "A+" gymnasium, how modern and advanced is the sports space - stadium, gymnasiums, training grounds?

Alexey Martynenko: Since classes in the gymnasium are not limited to the usual physical exercise and we will be engaged in sports according to the extended program, first of all we paid special attention to the safety of our students. For running tracks, a special springy coating is used, which does not allow injuries. The covering of running tracks complies with the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) standard. In the sports hall, you can see soft shock-absorbing panels on the walls, which soften the impact against the wall if someone suddenly flies out of the field during the excitement of the game.

"Our sports infrastructure can be perceived as a training base for future champions"

The football field of the "A+" gymnasium meets FIFA standards

As for quality characteristics, our football field fully meets FIFA standards. And we will submit an application to hold the Kyiv Football Championship. Yes, we plan to host matches of the City Championship in "Comfort Towne". The stadium has a unique, by Ukrainian standards, illumination — 300 lux. In Kyiv, not all stadiums have lighting at all, but the equipment installed here is so powerful that training can be held in the evening.

The sports facilities of the Gymnasium "A+" are multifunctional. Here you can engage in more than 10 types of team sports

Our sports facilities are multifunctional. Here you can engage in more than 10 types of team sports - football, basketball, handball, volleyball, table tennis and mini-football. The stadium has an irrigation system installed: we can cool the surface before the game in the heat. Not all artificial fields have such a function. There is even a playground for playing badminton, which, by the way, is also an Olympic sport.

One of the gymnasiums of the gymnasium "A+"

It is quite possible to hold professional-level matches and training sessions here, as all these structures, I repeat, meet professional standards. Even the running track meets the standards of the world and European competitions, and this allows us to use our sports infrastructure as a full-fledged training base for future champions.

 

"Exterior and interior should emphasize status"

Olga Chernova
chief architect of the ARCHIMATIKA project, author of the "A+" gymnasium project

PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA: What inspired you when creating the visual concept? Why was such a complex shape of the roof, color design of the facade chosen?

Olga Chernova: We wanted this school and its interior spaces, on the design of which SVOYA studio worked together with us, to be attractive not only for elementary school students, but also for high school students, who have somewhat different aesthetic preferences than children. We reviewed and studied the concepts of many advanced high schools in the world - classic and modern. Since this is not just a new school, but a gymnasium, the exterior and interiors must correspond to the status. Be elegant, stylish, modern.

Initially, we aimed to make the facade composition as simple and concise as possible. But since there must be a characteristic detail in the image, we decided on a visual concept in contrast: clear lines, smooth walls without any decorations and a roof of a complex configuration, which gives the building effectiveness and expressiveness.

The roof of a complex configuration gives the building effectiveness and expressiveness

As for the colors, since the residential buildings in the "Comfort Town" residential complex are multi-colored, the school should stand out against their background and at the same time balance this bright and cheerful landscape. If we made it colorful, it would blend in with the building. And the solution in shades of gray is not only functional - it gave our gymnasium a sense of solidity, emphasized its status.

PM: How did the idea with the arch and the amphitheater come about?

O. Ch.: By designing an arch and an amphitheater, we fulfilled the wishes of the investor and the teaching staff. The gymnasium needed a public space that could be used for informal gatherings and concerts. The size and shape of the plot limited us very much. And after we selected the zones of the landscape park and the sports area, it became obvious that it was possible to solve the problem by forming an inner courtyard.

The solution in shades of gray is not only functional - it gave the gymnasium a sense of solidity, emphasized its status

The question arose: how to arrange an entrance group to this yard? Constructing a U-shaped building in our case was wasteful, it would reduce the functional area of ​​the interior premises. At the same time, we wanted the yard to look cozy and protected enough for the children to be comfortable there. We immediately refused a low arch - after all, everyone strives to avoid the so-called underbridge spaces. And if we supported the arch on the columns, we would immediately kill the wow effect and destroy the general style of the building. Therefore, they created a complex structure with an almost 25-meter span.

PM: To what extent did the educational concept of three priorities (education + sports + creativity) influence the design of the exterior and interior of the building?

O. Ch.: We had very close cooperation with the director of the network of educational institutions "A+" Tatyana Kurmaz, who at the very first stage very clearly formulated the conditions - what kind of building they want to get, what spaces we need to plan.

The 25-meter arched span at the entrance to the amphitheater courtyard is one of the most complex structural elements of the building

We did not rely on a standard set of spaces, the director immediately listed what spaces are needed taking into account the new curriculum. Non-standard spaces include halls, scientific laboratories, a courtyard, a playground, and a landscape park in front of the building. So we were pushed back by the initiatives that came from the gymnasium management.

Realizing such unusual tasks is much more interesting to me as an architect. This is already the third school project in my portfolio, and each of them is unique in its own way, but the building of the "A+" gymnasium is both the most complex and the most original.

 

Photo: Yury Ferendovych