Abstract:
In the human body, learning is an ever-evolving process. We learn consciously and
subconsciously; through our senses, through our surroundings and through the people we interact
with. But in Pakistan, all learning has been relegated to 'schools' where a strict regimented
learning takes place, and where children are expected to memorize course material rather than
being exposed to a holistic learning environment. Thus, abilities like creative, cognitive, and
critical thinking are usually sidelined in children, and they end up becoming adults who may
have base knowledge but lack the ability to think critically and respond to situations in an
original way.
An Interactive Learning Center is proposed that counterpoints this by creating an integrated
learning environment. Envisioned as a 'landscape of learning', the Center will combine
structured and unstructured methods of learning to curate an engaging and explorative learning
experience, centered around learning through skill-development, participation, and play. Spread
across an urban park, the Learning Center will weave itself into an environment that enables
children to learn through interaction with nature, through interaction with the architectural fabric,
and through interaction amongst themselves. It will become a focal point within the urban
context, blurring into the public domain, and reviving the site as a community hub within the
neighborhood.
