New Delhi, Dec 04: Integrated architecture and design practice SpaceMatters has completed and delivered the final school in its series of 16 CM Rise (now Sandipani Vidyalaya) Schools for the Government of Madhya Pradesh (India), marking a significant milestone in the state’s ambitious school transformation program as well as the studio’s own 20-year journey with 500 completed projects across diverse client sectors including education, healthcare, industrial townships, spiritual institutions, and heritage-led adaptive reuse.
As part of the first-phase pilot implemented by the School Education Department and the Environmental Planning & Coordination Organisation (EPCO), SpaceMatters designed 16 schools across Bhopal, Ashok Nagar, and Dhar, spanning over 2 million sq ft of built area. Each school is designed to be contextual, climate-responsive, and child-centric – delivered within tight budgets and timelines.
Ar. Moulshri Joshi, Founding Partner, SpaceMatters, said,
“Every site presented its own challenges and opportunities. Each school is uniquely adapted to its profile and contours, preserves existing trees, and maximises play, sports, and the ‘in-between’ spaces where children naturally gravitate. The real challenge was achieving all this within cost and time constraints. We believe learning happens everywhere, not only in the classroom.”
Built to deliver high-quality design within the tight budgets of government schools, the new Sandipani Vidyalaya campuses focus on universal access and inclusive spaces for children with diverse and special needs. SpaceMatters has also drawn from local knowledge systems and community practices to shape environments that naturally support focus, productivity, and overall well-being. Through simple but thoughtful design moves like shaded outdoor learning areas, intuitive movement loops, breakout pockets, and climate-responsive courtyards, the team has created schools where learning continues well beyond the classroom.
For further strengthening its education ecosystem, the Madhya Pradesh Government’s CM Rise – now rebranded as Sandipani Vidyalaya, is one of India’s most ambitious school transformation initiatives, aimed at upgrading 9,000 government schools with strengthened academic environments and improved infrastructure. Alongside this, the state is pushing educational upliftment through digital learning, teacher capacity building, scholarships, laptops for high-achieving students, free bicycles, a hygiene curriculum, and the Swami Vivekananda Yuva Shakti Mission.
Ar. Suditya Sinha, Founding Partner, SpaceMatters, added,
“Our design approach prioritised optimal daylight, cross-ventilation, and thermal comfort in regions experiencing extreme heat, cold, monsoons, and rising air pollution. Corridors, courtyards, toilets, water points, and breakout zones were intentionally shaped as vibrant, safe, and inclusive spaces to ensure learning continues beyond the classroom.”
This progressive design language, rarely executed at scale in India’s government school systems, aims to establish a new benchmark for public education infrastructure.
Understanding that rural schools often double as community hubs, SpaceMatters planned campuses to be flexible and welcoming after school hours. Native planting, water conservation measures, and a practical yet exploratory material palette contribute to a landscape that feels rooted, resilient, and welcoming for children and communities alike.
Ar. Amritha Ballal, Founding Partner, noted,
“Globally and in India, evidence continues to show that well-designed educational spaces significantly impact learning outcomes, student engagement, teacher motivation, and overall well-being. Yet, India’s public schools often suffer from infrastructural deficits that reinforce inequalities when compared with private institutions. In this context, SpaceMatters considers it a privilege to partner with the Government of Madhya Pradesh in its mission to radically transform public school environments and create equitable, uplifting spaces for every child.”
With capabilities spanning architecture, interiors, urban design, mobility, heritage, experience design, and ecological planning, SpaceMatters continues to define an interdisciplinary culture of practice.
Over the years, the studio has expanded its expertise across architecture, interiors, urban design, strategic planning, habitat research, experience design, sports infrastructure, and CSR-led social impact projects, allowing SpaceMatters to work across varied scales and contexts with equal depth.
“We approach every project with a balance of creativity, technical rigour, and experiential sensitivity,” shared Moulshri. “From large-scale masterplans and public institutions to hospitality and bespoke residential work, our studio brings together a team committed to environmentally responsible, experientially rich, and innovative solutions.”
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