japan is a country noted in their unusual yet thoughtful kindergarten schemes that take pride in creating a safe and positive learning environment for children. a recent example is the ‘amanenomori nursery school’ designed by kensuke aisaka of aisaka architects’ atelier and located in funabashi city, japan.
the overall concept of the 1,000 sqm scheme was to facilitate 160 children in a secure and generous space easily accessible to outdoor playing. this led to the offices, admin, staff and kitchen being arranged on the outer perimeter between the entrance and nursery to ensure convenience and security. a man-made playground has been placed in the core of the a circular ring-shaped structure that is opened to the sky. along with planted greenery, decking, tunnels, slides and bridges – the courtyard is a popular and prominent area within the kindergarten.
orientated to receive the a lot of sunlight from all directions throughout the year, the semi-circle shaped garden encourages ventilation, while nurturing children’s interest to gardening. additionally, dietary education is highlighted to increase children’s appreciation and interest towards food. this is illustrated by the vegetable garden on the rooftop and glass-walled kitchen on the first floor.
a climbing wall and slide are elements introduced in the core courryard/中心庭院设计了可供攀爬的墙壁和滑梯。
each classroom offers sliding glass doors that lead onto the decking that faces onto the playground. round chamfering was used on the walls and railings to ensure safety, but also integrated into skylights and every edge of the building to create a motif of the design.
inside, the children do not wear shoes/在室内,孩子们不需要穿鞋
double-height spaces act as halls/两层通高的活动大厅。
the entire scheme has a continuous indoor/outdoor relationship/建筑的室内外空间具有连续性。
the nursery has two levels and a rooftop/幼儿园为两层,拥有屋顶活动平台。
the circular building is layered with each level sheltered by the floor above/环形建筑每层空间层次分明,上层露台能够为下层空间遮阳。
a staircase-cum-seating area rises from the mid-level to the roof/楼梯兼座椅的设计,从中间层延伸至屋顶部分。
a garden at the roof of the nursery encourages planting and tending greenery/屋顶花园种植着绿色植物。