vibrant bleachers raise up in steps for multipurpose school field in india

playball studio assembles A colorful gradual platform in Rajkot

Rajkot-based playball studio sets up a playful multipurpose platform for athletic and recreational activities in St. Mary’s School in India. Offering a wide open ground of 19000 sqm dedicated purely to students, the educational institution’s latest requirement of a basketball court entails a stimulating peripheral seating area. Located facing the existing open field, the site can carry out simultaneous training sessions. The court arranges the designated seating area towards the eastern edge benefitting from the shadow of lush trees. The new facility that can take up multiple functions and activities opens towards the playing ground planning the bleachers on three sides. The platform shapes in gradual steps rising from the ground.

Starting from a single step the platform leads to a staggered formation of seven steps increasing in height and shortening in length. Following a design process of mirroring and repetition, the combined modules are set up in a double L-shaped plan leaving the corners open as entry passages.

the multipurpose platform gradually extends from the open ground | all images by Dhrupad Shukla

staggered formation intensifies the color gradience upwards

The multipurpose platform’s steps display vivid colors in various tones. Each module presents a main color’s gradient tonality, referencing the school’s four Houses. Under the same design principles of ascending volumes, the bleachers gradually change colors, setting the lighter shades closer to the ground and the darker and more vivid tones on the top. As the staggered platform increases in height, its color gradience intensifies upwards.

The new facility by playball studio’s design team applies a combination of two shades of brown on the open-air basketball court, differentiating the playing zones, while, also, matching the natural colors of the surrounding open ground. The exposed concrete around the court accentuates the vibrant hues of the stepped platform. The bleachers, frequently used by the students during recess breaks, can function as seating or playing areas. The steps of the platform, also, shape up an informal amphitheater on the open ground of St. Mary’s School.

the gradual steps of the platform as seen from above

the colorful bleachers arrange gradual seating modules

the vibrant bleacher steps display gradient colors

playing basketball with a backdrop of playful ascending units

students can integrate the multipurpose platform into their games

seating module sculpts angular patterned steps

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dynamic play of light and shadow on the gradient steps

step by step, the colors appear darker and vibrant

the highest points of the platforms leave an open entry passage

isometric view of St. Mary's School's platform final design

design process diagrammatic views of St. Mary's School's platform

project info:

name: Multipurpose platform at St. Mary’s School
designer: playball studio | @playballstudio

location: Rajkot, India

photography: Dhrupad Shukla | @architecturevisualsdhrupad

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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom