Young India integrated school: designing a least restrictive campus in Hyderabad/

Abstract

Across India, children with disabilities and neurodivergent conditions face persistent social, sensory, and physical barriers in mainstream schools. While policies advocate inclusive education, school design often restricts rather than enables learning, segregating children or forcing them to adapt to disorienting, overstimulating spaces. This thesis explores the concept of a Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), which calls for all children to learn together with appropriate, supportive design. Set in Hyderabad, the project proposes a school campus for Classes 1– 12, integrating diverse learners including those with sensory processing disorders, intellectual, and physical disabilities. The design addresses physical, psychological, and sensory barriers using inclusive architectural strategies rooted in empathy and adaptability. Key features include curvilinear forms, nature-integrated courtyards, sensory zoning, circular academic blocks, and accessible social and therapeutic spaces. The thesis reimagines inclusion as a core design intent, presenting a replicable spatial model for inclusive education in India’s evolving school landscape. Keywords: Inclusive Education, Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), Neurodivergent Learners, Disability and Architecture, Sensory Design, School Design, Universal Design, Therapeutic Spaces, Social Integration, Child- Centric Design.