kientruc o transforms old townhouse into kindergarten

kientruc-o transforms old townhouse into kindergarten in vietnam
(above) street view
all images © oki hiroyuki

ho chi minh city, or saigon, is a vietnamese city whose society has progressed in such fast pace, leaving marks even on construction and architecture. some common practices include deliberately reconditioning old existing buildings and giving them new functional and aesthetic purposes. this is normally done by accompanying a more complex spatial demand, with limited resources, and time. despite these constraints, local-based architectural practice kientruc-o transformed an old monolithic space, into a bright, exuberant, and full of vitality kindergarten, a place that fosters the new generation of vietnamese people.

view from playground

the project demanded a multifunctional space, with flexible spatial adaptation that would allow rooms to shift from single private to open public or event spaces. also to proportionally expand and contract in size while complying with the house’s existing structural elements. the architects approached the project with an understanding that children naturally feel more comfortable in spaces that are related to their size, which offers them a sense of safety and freedom to explore their surroundings. from a larger point of view, a cluster of small spaces stimulates and encourages the children to go out and discover what is beyond their own personal bubble. the flexible spatial organization that resulted is a direct response to the programmatic requirements and the educational experiences the architects want to offer.

night view from street

classroom

vibrant colors were used to stimulate the children

TRANSFORMS AN OLD TOWNHOUSE INTO A PRIVATE KINDERGARTEN

PERSPECTIVE

project info:

architects: kientruc o
location: tân định ward, district 1, saigon, vietnam
principal architect: đàm vũ
team: an ni lê, triết lê, tiên đặng, nhung hồ, dân hồ
site area: 265 sqm – building area: 486 sqm
design: 9-2014
completed: 3-2015
photographs: oki hiroyuki

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: juliana neira | designboom