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Holistic learning therefore is about information, exposure, analysis, understanding and explorations. It is about learning more than the teaching. This calls for self indulgence and initiatives from the students. How can the built environment contribute in the same?

At India First Foundation (IFF) school campus in Karjat, an attempt has been made to overlay spatial installations to basic physical envelop in order to inculcate the habit of enquiry, to raise the level of exposure and to make the education interactive. Here the court, the corridors and the classes are animated with diverse installations in consonance with their space conditions, designated functions and the desired format of its conduct. These multimedia 3D display collages consist of curriculum related information in an interactive and exploratory format. While retaining as teaching and learning tool within the framework of the course curriculum, they extend beyond the text book with their dynamic formats for higher intensity of interactivity in order to sustain interest, ease comprehension and inspire explorations and self indulgence. These learning tools not only help imbibe the understanding of subject matter first hand but also go beyond to inculcate lateral thinking.

Installations such as these have morphed spaces into places with vitality and voids into virtual labs with virility. For example an open to air amphitheatre is transformed in to an open book on space sciences by turning spatial elements like floor, amphitheatre steps, walls, lighting elements and landscaping into thematic spatial installations. With a sundial in the centre of the circular amphitheatre to landscaping the floor by 12 radiating stone petals with accurate depiction of constellation of stars as per the zodiac calendar and three seasons shown in colour of red, green and black in three amphitheatre steps - all remains aesthetic as well as educative. Here, digital craft is juxtaposed with vernacular art. An opaque parapet wall 200 ft long in local Warli painting tradition depicts the evolution of world from 'Hiranyagarbh' to Aryan village to epics like Ramayan and Mahabharata, invasions, colonisation as well as contemporary world icons. From water body in front of the stage portraying world atlas and obelisks representing phases of solar eclipse to a panel above the stage depicting the evolution of life forms, it is a total microcosm within the cosmos. Likewise other corridors and courts of the campus have been animated with educational installations. School corridors have live installations of games and puzzles along the path ways. Thus it adds information as well as entertainment, and above all interactive.

There are some permanent displays mounted in some halls which connect student to the rest of the world. An exhibition hall has 192 panels, one each on country of the world carrying at a glance information about the nation. The ceiling lighting slits are the datelines (hour lines) of the world atlas corresponding to GMT. Thus they not only become visual features but also an informative one. Long wall creates the backdrop of people from round the world depicting the diversity of culture and places. Three dimensional self lit cubical protrusions are the images and information on hundred personalities of the world from diverse fields that have left their mark on humanity. These may serve as role models to the young students and inspire. They serve as stimuli to trigger initiatives from students and teachers alike and help inculcate spirit of learning amongst the pupils through self indulgence and explorations. A much needed dimension in true values based education.

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