Firm： Yunchao Xu/Atelier Apeiron

Type： Commercial › Exhibition Center Showroom Cultural › Gallery Museum Educational › Nursery

STATUS： Built

YEAR： 2021

SIZE： 25,000 sqft - 100,000 sqft

BUDGET： $10M - 50M

A site compressed by the city

This is a kindergarten reconstruction and expansion project, located in the first residential community built in Shenzhen in the 1980s. On the north side of the base is a preserved old building with a very irregular outline on the south side and very close to the housing.

Flowing space released from blocks

Rather than following the traditional matrix layout, we developed a new geometric relationship between the new building and the site, by organizing a series of axises in different directions. It is the most efficient way for classrooms to avoid the influence from the residentials and the main road. The gaps among the education blocks give the smooth flow to the entire campus. The new together with the old building enclose a large oval courtyard to hold various group events.

Classrooms surrounded by nature

Each classroom is surrounded by nature. The space without names inbetween classrooms may be small or big, narrow or wide, up or down. Combined with a generative curriculum, these different shapes will be redefined and changed by children and teachers in everyday life. More than just a constant playground, the campus is a living community built by everyone in the kindergarten.

A three-dimensional light maze

Connected by bridges and platforms, are there four cubic units, which are staggered and stacked by three-story standard classrooms. During the day, light and shadow change with the sun. In the evening, the cubes emit mysterious lights, and become a playful maze for kids.

Project Video