An introduction to GEMS Education Malaysia

As we prepared for the launch of successive schools in Malaysia, we wanted to capture the spirit of the GEMS International School of Pearl City, Penang, as it opened to its first cohort of students.

In designing the school, we aimed to create a space conducive to living in, playing, as well as learning. We had images of comfort, laughter and engagement in mind. We wanted our school to stimulate curiosity and enquiry, encourage search, promote discovery and an uncovering of matters.

We invested ourselves in building a school reflective or our aspirations and ambition:

• Aseamless,integratedlearningenvironment,whereboundariesarefewandporous,modularandmodifiable,aninfrastructureto be appropriated;

• Anenvironmentforlivingandworkingincommunitiesandgroups,caring,helping,conserving;• Spaceforlearningbydoing,practicallyandphysicallyexperiencing;energising,invigorating,challengingspace;• Aplaceforlivingandlearningthatismentally,sociallyandspirituallynurturingandinspiring.

Functionality was central in our thoughts: fitness for our educational purpose was essential, and safety was considered every time.Yetaestheticswereofgreatimportancetoo.Wedidnotsetouttoimpressbutwewerekeentopushboundaries,tosupporttheideathataschooldoesnothavetobeadullspace.Weapproachedmaterials,finishes,andtheoveralllookandfeel with a “boutique hotel” mindset.

The following pages share with you some images of our school. We hope that they will bring you some joy, as they have done for our first group of students, staff, parents and visitors.

Tom CollinChiefExecutiveOfficerGEMS Education Malaysia

June 2014

Ground breaking ceremony officiated by YAB Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

Overview of the GEMS International School of Pearl City, Penang campus

March 2014 - May 2015School under construction

The school opened for its first batch of studentsSeptember 2015

Official opening - 28 September 2015OfficiatedbyYABLimGuanEng

Foundation and primary foyers

The parents’ loungeA welcoming space for visitors

Welcoming exterior spacesThebamboogroveanddeck(seniorsportshallinthebackground)

Welcoming exterior spacesLightwells/atria

Foundation years outdoor play spaces

Junior and senior swimming pools

Futsal court, basketball court and junior sports hall

Foundation years shared learning spaces Reading area

Foundation years shared learning spaces

Secondary shared learning spaces

Foundation years

Primary section

Secondary section

The “landscaped” library

Dance studio

Music room

Black box theatre

Science laboratory

Cafeteria

Our next project: the GEMS International School at Tropicana MetroparkScheduled opening: September 2017

GEMS International School at Tropicana MetroparkSigningofficiatedbyYBDato’SeriIdrisJusoh-January2015

Overview of the GEMS International School at Tropicana Metropark

Level 10, Maju Tower, 1001 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysiawww.gemseducation.com

+60 3 2727 8500 GEMSPenanginfo_gip@gemsedu.com