Didyasarin International Preparatory School (D-Prep)

Bangkok, Thailand

Didyasarin Preparatory School situates on the 4,800-square meter ground within the perimeter of Mega Bangna, a massive shopping mall on Bangna-Trat road in Samutprakarn province of Thailand. The project comprises of one two-story building where the Kindergarten & Elementary department is located and a five story school building accommodating classrooms and spaces for learning activities. Integrated as an important part of the project is the expansive landscape architecture surrounding the built structures with the back of the school’s property adjacent to the skywalk of MegaPark public park.

The entire plan of the school is designed to embody “The discovery world is an indoor/outdoor edutainment center for learning all kind of experience”  concept. The physical environment and ambience are specifically curated to accommodate and encourage students’ knowledge and imagination through playing, running, exercises, including the learning through the five human senses and actual experiences that enable the muscle development of all children of all ages.

The physical elements of the exterior hardscape are materialized with the utilization of child-friendly materials and components from the wall/floor materials of the playground and swimming pool to handles and play tools whose safe textures are able to relieve the severity of injuries in case of accidents. The vibrant colors are chosen to stimulate children’s development and attract their interest; helping them remember and distinguish colors from the surrounding objects in the environment they are in.     The exterior hardscape is also designed to facilitate a connectivity with other functional spaces activity rooms inside the buildings. It can be categorized into 4 following parts:

Part 1: The main front entrance and water feature

Serving as the front drop-off area, the architectural design of the main front entrance embraces simplicity and modernity while aesthetically corresponding with the architecture of the school buildings with the proportions and height designed to appropriately fulfill the required functionalities. The use of steel structure and materials with natural colors that complement the surfaces and textures of the buildings’ exterior are executed hand in hand with the positions and components of the locations of signage, the Feature Wall, all the way to the school’s iconic logo, the Pegasus Sculpture. The use of the water feature adds an extra element to the ambience of the landscape with the descending flow of the soundscape.

Part 2: Kindergarten Playground & Tree House

The space for the playground is open to the landscape with the presence of sunlight, wind and outdoor activities. The horizontal plane serves as a space where children run and play while the grass slopes and trampoline help the children improve their physical balance through jumping and vertical movements.
The placements and locations of playground equipment for children of different ages are done with sufficient safety zone provided.
The area is physically linked to the extending part of the playground, which continues under the elevated floor of the new building. The tree house’s design mimics the architectural form of the school building with adapted proportions and use of colorful and translucent cladding materials to enable the students’ memorization, color distinction, communication skills and imagination. The large timbers that engulf the house bloom at their early age, allowing the kids to learn about nature from their actual surrounding environment.

Part 3 : Outdoor Soccer Field

The 22m x 38-meter field rests in parallel with the school building and is linked to the playground to expand the functional space to accommodate more activities from playing, learning to practices. This multipurpose area is also used for the daily morning assembly as well as other different activities the school hosts for the students and parents on various occasions.

Part 4: Pools

The pool is divided into 2 parts for older and younger kids. While the depth of the pool for elementary students is 8.80 – 1.20 meters, the kindergarten students’ pool is 0.30-0.60-meter deep with a number of water play added to the space.
In addition to the lush surrounding of trees and naturally shaded space around the pool, the tarp roofing and its free form design helps protect the kids from the fiery sunlight and the rain, allowing the pool to be usable all day long and through different seasons.

Architect&Interior Building 1:

  • Curious Design Studio Co.,Ltd.

Architect&Interior Building 2:

  • Suddha Architects Co.,Ltd.

Landscape Architect :

  • MissSumanee Ampansap /
  • Mr.Yongyurt Thumchoochaowarat(PLGD)

Civil Engineer:

  • Mr.Pongpat Sriphan / Mr.Thongchai Boomkerd

M&E Engineer:

  • Miss Jutamat Kaewkaseam / N Engineering Co.,Ltd.

Main Contractor

  • Firstkas C.B.M Co.,Ltd.

Softscape Contractor:

  • Gad-Kaysorn Co.,Ltd.

Sculptor

  • James Sculpture Co.,Ltd

Photographer

  • Mi Metipat Prommomate

Year

  • 2018

Location

  • Mega Bangna, Sumutprakarn Province, Thailand