Our Space
We designed a distinctive space that would allow our school culture to evolve as one that values creativity and collaboration and views constraints as possibilities.
The PYP building is a bustling learning environment. Located along a cobble stone street in the heart of our city, a peek out the school windows might reveal a glimpse of a bell tower, a church steeple and even a castle on a hill. Our location makes an impromptu field trip or afternoon in the park a real possibility.
Inside our building the focus is on the students and the controlled messiness of learning. Come see us in action!
The PYP Courtyard is where it all begins. On September 1st we gather there with families and staff to see the year off to a grand start. It serves as a spectacle of light during our winter holiday laser show, the setting for our June commencement ceremony under the lilacs and, if we are lucky, a majestic approach of hot air balloons. Perhaps the most important thing we do there is spend our mid-day break playing – regardless of the temperature.
Real innovation relies on the existence of a culture that values collaboration and interdisciplinary learning, and underlying that, trust. The space alone won’t make that happen for us. What we can do, however, is intentionally design for experiences that allow for a degree of spontaneity and purposeful peer exchanges. While the atrium was initially designed to maximize the impact of natural light, it has become the central gathering place for our students, and host to many special events.
Perhaps the most impressive space in our new building is the gymnasium. Flooded with natural light on two sides, it is warm and inviting. The thoughtful design of the gym serves to reinforce the importance of movement in enabling us to lead fulfilling and healthy lives. We are able to keep the gym open during lunch breaks and afterschool sports opportunities are increasingly a part of life at VIS. Volleyball has surpassed basketball as the sport of choice this year.
Our science lab may be responsible for the significant rise in student interest in science and technology at VIS. Over the course of the past three years, more than 60% of our Cambridge International students have decided to study engineering and computer science. Interest in the natural sciences is on the rise for the current AS Level student body.
Learning is a social endeavor, so we created multiple spaces that promote spontaneous conversation and collaboration. The most obvious is our school café. It is intentionally designed to be a cozy, inviting setting so that students and staff feel comfortable socialising person-to-person.