International School Yangon

Click here to view the campus expansion plans.

The International School Yangon (ISY) has been a feature of life in the Myanmar capital since the middle of last century. It provides a superb education over all year levels, culminating in the international baccalaureate. The students and staff come from over 100 countries, making up a stimulating, exciting and diverse community. ISY occupies a campus in the heart of the city, with many pressures on its space. It needs to expand its facilities with a multi-purpose space for performances, lectures, meetings etc, enlarge its library and provide more acoustically appropriate rooms for music learning and rehearsal. We were initially asked to consult the community about what would make the most successful outcome, and to investigate where on the campus a new building might possibly be located. This Options Appraisal was completed at the end of 2108.

We have now been asked to proceed to design the new building. This is challenging because of site constraints, but we have evolved a strong proposal. This is a wedge-shaped plan, fitting between an existing semi-historic villa, other school buildings and the site boundary. Level changes have allowed us to ‘bury’ the lower floor of the multi-purpose space and drama department, and this gives onto a covered sports court – a perfect overflow foyer. The building forms a backdrop to the villa with a double-height colonnade (verandas are essential in this rainiest of climates) and it helps to give a new cohesion the school. Many improvements to learning and other facilities will result after construction.