Young innovators lab

Natural sciences and entrepreneurship center, First School “Nikola Vaptsarov”

Client
First School “Nikola Vaptsarov”
Users
students 7- 14 y/o
teachers, parents
people from the community
Location
Berkovitsa, Bulgaria
Type
Refurbishment
Budget
60 000 euro
Year
2018

The challenge

Kids to perceive school as a cozy place, rich in different experiences which are not only educational but also sensory and related to play, informal communication and movement.

The space should be:

flexible and easy to transform depending on the needs of the learning process

cosy, so that children feel well and open to build up on their knowledge

stimulating movement, which is essential for children’s development and is also part of the learning process

Quote from research

Our classroom should have parrots, all sorts of animals and most importantly - a bunker - Student

Design solutions

The three classrooms and corridor are transformed into a laboratory, a multifunctional room and a relax zone. The classrooms are united and a glass sliding door divides the laboratory from the multifunctional space while keeping the space open and flexible. The static storage furniture is situated in the periphery while the tables and chairs are light and stackable in order to be moved around by the children.

You can paint on some walls and part of the furniture. In the lab children take care of fish, parrots, and geckos. The wooden furniture, the rugs, incorporated into the hexagonal units and the illustration on the wall all enhance the feeling of coziness.
The relax zone is transformed from a corridor to a cozy place for play, drawing and rest.

Movement is an essential part of the learning process and for that reason the furniture offers different options for changing body posture: light chairs, benches, poufs, little mattresses and carpets for sitting on the floor.
The so-called “rabbit’s hole” stands out in the space – a hiding place and climbing frame with a built-in aquarium. The swings in the relax area also invite kids to play and move in school.

Credits
Illustration: Andrea Popyordanova
Photos: Svetoslav Anastasov

More info
Creativity In Motion - Lusio
The City magazine, issue 5, 2018