The building’s spatial and planning structure and functional zoning were developed by IMAGO. The school consists of two boomerang-shaped wings connected by a shared atrium. The four-wing composition allows for a convenient separation of elementary, middle, and high school areas – a configuration that, it should be noted, has become popular in recent years because it facilitates the separation of circulation flows while encouraging “interclass interaction”, or, in other words, student socialization. The building is large-scale and, as is customary, occupies the central portion of the residential development. It is imposing, orderly, and, by the standards of our time, predictable, in the best sense of the word.
Bubble school. Axonometric drawing
Copyright: © GAFA Architects
The developer, MR Group, took a different approach to the façades, however, organizing an invitation-only competition to develop their concept. The objective was to find a bold, memorable solution in line with current trends and preferences in Moscow architecture.
And that is exactly what happened. GAFA won the competition, and the project, barely entering the public eye, quite literally “exploded” on social media, attracting both supporters and skeptics – invariably passionate ones. Which, presumably, fulfilled the brief: the design was noticed, it is unlikely to be forgotten, and even less likely to be replicated literally. Although, who knows…
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![zooming]( "Bubble school Copyright: © GAFA Architects")
Bubble schoolCopyright: © GAFA Architects
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![zooming]( "Bubble school Copyright: © GAFA Architects")
Bubble schoolCopyright: © GAFA Architects
So! The GAFA architects saw a resemblance between the school’s floor plan and a balloon animal – you know, the kind entertainers twist into shape at children’s parties – and developed the idea, scaling it up into a regular grid that gives architectural expression to the large window openings.
Bubble school
Copyright: © GAFA Architects
Since the school is designed for students of different ages – from young children to older teenagers – GAFA sought a universal image: neither too serious nor too naïve, but immediately legible to every child. At the same time, the design needed to reflect the standing of an educational institution that collaborates with Lomonosov Moscow State University, HSE University, Sechenov University, and other leading universities in Russia. The architects chose a synthesis of science and the arts, expressing the broader synergy among the many different fields of human activity. A fitting symbol of such a synthesis can be found in the famous sculptures by experimental artist Jeff Koons – his iconic Balloon Dogs, whose glossy weightlessness is achieved through 3D modeling and stainless steel.
The conceptual search resulted in an “inflatable” module: it simultaneously resembles a piece of bubble gum, balloons, a bouncy castle, a futuristic space station, or a molecular structure. Children of different ages – and virtually every year of the curriculum – can find a corresponding image in the architecture.
Children are drawn to softness because they instinctively perceive it as a psychologically and tactilely safe environment. In our school, “soft architecture” begins with the façade. We round off the building’s corners, turning them into friendly “molecular capsules”. Today, all forms of art are undergoing a global synthesis – painting, architecture, fashion, music, and digital art.
We are living in an age of digitization and customization, and today’s generation instinctively responds to and actively participates in this process. The school’s structure resembles a large three-dimensional construction set made up of molecules. The sculptural elements evoke balloons, soap bubbles, and a quintessential childhood object: pieces of bubble gum. The unified concept of the façades and landscape design transforms the school building into a cohesive sculpture.
We are living in an age of digitization and customization, and today’s generation instinctively responds to and actively participates in this process. The school’s structure resembles a large three-dimensional construction set made up of molecules. The sculptural elements evoke balloons, soap bubbles, and a quintessential childhood object: pieces of bubble gum. The unified concept of the façades and landscape design transforms the school building into a cohesive sculpture.
All the sections of wall between the windows, both vertical and horizontal, take the form of these “airbags”, or balloons, which, through the subjective perception of the viewer, make them seem “lighter” than the curtain-wall glazing. As a rule, even mesh or, say, enamelled-glass walls are perceived as somewhat more substantial than glass, whose very purpose is to provide transparency and permeability. It has been this way, well, since Gothic times, one might say.
Here, however, the opposite is true. The walls look like inflated balloons, and the first thought is: what if they could lift the volume of the school building and carry it away, just as students’ thoughts sometimes carry them away? Or perhaps not carry them away, but give them the chance to soar? To instill a lightness that we take for granted when we are young and that we miss so much as adults? In short, the association with balloons shown in the image above feels entirely natural here, yet at the same time unexpected and strikingly vivid, thanks to the enlargement of a familiar phenomenon to architectural scale.
Bubble school
Copyright: © GAFA Architects
Rounded, soft – or perhaps springy? – yet unmistakably three-dimensional and relief-like, the grid is both surprising and impressive. It also subtly shifts our perception of the school as an architectural type, whose image throughout the 20th and 21st centuries has oscillated between a severity intended to discipline the mind – think of the colleges of Oxford, or contemporary Scandinavian schools in gray brick and concrete – and play, a fundamental element of both children’s and adults’ consciousness. A playful quality does not have to express itself through color alone. It can emerge, for example, through the organization of space that encourages play. Or, as in this case, when the entire building becomes, in a sense, a giant toy, and the echo of its formal theme structures the space around it and shapes the way it is experienced.
Moreover, the unusual form and tactile quality of the façades spark curiosity and a desire to understand how and from what they are made. The building itself becomes part of the educational environment.
The “inflatable” modules are made of white glass-fiber-reinforced concrete. To achieve the desired form while ensuring its constructability, the architects developed seven standardized elements with concealed fixings for assembling the three-dimensional panels. The “petals” are mounted on a steel-profile substructure, forming a continuous grid.
Integrated façade lighting not only accentuates the modules’ rounded volumes but also creates a comfortable nighttime lighting scenario: the building seems to radiate a warm glow, seeing children safely home or inviting them to stay for extracurricular activities.
Bubble school
Copyright: © GAFA Architects
The ground floor, where panoramic windows alternate with restrained graphite cladding, remains predominantly planar by contrast. Even here, however, the architects have introduced several three-dimensional “buttons” reminiscent of climbing-wall holds.
Bubble school
Copyright: © GAFA Architects
The architects chose not to visually differentiate the school’s individual blocks, preserving the purity of the concept: a distinctly modernist grid of three-dimensional modules wraps the entire building in a uniform pattern of rectangular cells. This does not make the building monotonous, since its spatial composition offers a variety of perspectives. At the same time, a sense of order and discipline is maintained. The school fits naturally into the architecture of the surrounding residential complexes while remaining a focal point thanks to its enlarged-scale articulation and unusual rounded forms.
Bubble school
Copyright: © GAFA Architects
The façades’ neutral white color leaves room for bold experiments with the surrounding landscape. GAFA, for instance, introduces a vivid fuchsia for the running-track surfaces, sports-court fencing, and site furnishings. If anyone considers shades of pink inherently gendered, we might recall the soccer boots worn by players at the most recent World Cup. Fuchsia creates a sharp contrast with the greenery and, in winter, helps compensate for the absence of color.
Bubble school
Copyright: © GAFA Architects
As is customary for GAFA, considerable attention was also devoted to the landscape design. The school grounds become a logical extension of the architecture, creating an ecosystem for growth, play, and learning. The same principles of “soft architecture” govern the entire site: flowing lines, an absence of sharp corners, and tactile, child-friendly materials. Site furnishings adopt the language of the façades, with “inflated”, enveloping geometries designed to feel safe and welcoming to children. The paving is finished in a light gray tone that echoes the façades. The paving module establishes a clear rhythm while also helping with wayfinding.
Bubble school. Masterplan
Copyright: © GAFA Architects
The central public space is a plaza – a formal forecourt in front of the main entrance. It is defined by a large field of dark paving and complemented by “green rooms”: intimate plant-enclosed “bubbles” with integrated seating. The plaza also features a soft, sculptural pink amphitheater.
Bubble school
Copyright: © GAFA Architects
The elementary school playgrounds are organized into age-based clusters, while those for older students are concentrated around a large sports hub. The rubber-surface patterns “grow” along with the child, evolving from soft, rounded forms in the kindergarten play areas to dynamic, bold patterns around the sports hub. Bright lines reminiscent of ribbons, balloons, and confetti appear to have been scattered across the light-colored background.
Bubble school
Copyright: © GAFA Architects
The landscape strategy incorporates a green buffer of perimeter plantings that helps protect the school from noise, dust, and vehicle emissions. Layered hedges define the playgrounds and recreation areas. Strict linear hedges around the sports hub emphasize the dynamism of its functional program. Accent plants draw the eye with their flowers, fruit, textured bark, and changing seasonal colors. Carefully considered landscaping creates a gentle transition toward the Setun River Valley nature reserve, making the complex part of a larger natural environment.
Bubble school. The zoning
Copyright: © GAFA Architects
GAFA has already tested the concept at the Architecture 2.0 exhibition, where children immediately brought the installation to life. Their delight provided the best confirmation of the architectural manifesto, demonstrating that “soft architecture” can shape space and evoke emotions – and turn a school into a friend for a child.
Bubble school at the Architecture 2.0 exhibition
