The Yellow Train school is based on Waldorf principles wherein children are encouraged to cultivate individual thinking. The kindergarten and primary school is formed like an embryo – very sheltered. An open air theatre becomes an internal courtyard. Due to the guideline-mandated tall classrooms, arches are introduced to achieve a relatable scale. As they spring from the floor, they allow adults to pass only through the middle height while children can run around almost through the entire breadth. The roof and floors are also arched, making the whole space extremely gentle and playful. The levels are designed to create a sheltered playspace along the compound wall, so that children are not at the same level as the road. The design is kept playful by integrating a slide, a large net hammock under a sky-lit space. The broad passages encourage many other activities with their flooring design and create a space to run with abandon. Caves for quiet introspection are tucked under the ramp. Ground floor classrooms open onto the playground while the first floor opens onto a terrace, envisaged for growing vegetables and flowers. A separate garden with water features and pergolas, becomes a quieter, meditative space for teachers.
