Many traditional schools tend to be closed off so that children are protected and the circulation are easily controlled. Most of them have clearly defined zones, functional pathways with no sunlight, and limited view of the outside. By doing so, the school is always an inward-looking experience. However, We believe that maximizing children’s opportunity to move and observe is very important in early education.
In the design, we decided to provide students with sufficient level of transparency so that everyone can feel encouraged to engage with their immediate surrounding.
Modular Spatial Organization
The organization of the school follows a 8.4 m by 8.4 m grid, which is the dimension of a classroom. Therefore, one classroom acts as one module; and other programs follows the dimension of the classroom. For example, on the first floor, the area of the library is twice as big as a classroom; the dining hall is the equivalent of three classrooms’ area.
Transparency
Our school is designed to liberate children’s desire to move and see the surrounding by maximizing the use of transparent walls in circulation spaces. We also incorporate natural elements within the school, such as the central courtyard that is open to the sky. The lightwell then allows students to look up and down through different levels.
