koseki architect office: connect
<p>breaking free from the closed-box structure of the pre-existing school, the design is devoid of internal walls to promote maximum flexibility for the children. </p>
‘connect’ by koseki architect office in kyoto, japan all images courtesy koseki architect office image © toshihide kajiwara
‘connect’ by japanese practice koseki architect office is a two-storey extension project to a pre-existing nursery school in fushimi ku, kyoto, japan. breaking free from the closed-box structure of the old facilities, the design is devoid of internal walls to promote maximum flexibility and to cater to a wide range of activities for the children.
exterior view image © toshihide kajiwara
featuring an outdoor wood terrace that partially wraps around the footprint of the structure, a large collection of floor-to-ceiling windows connect the interior with the exterior. the form of a staircase becomes the focus of the facade by adding dynamic angles to the low-lying elevation. the classrooms within are able to fully open up to the outdoors by sliding glass panels.
outdoor terraces image © toshihide kajiwara
by extending the layout in both horizontal and vertical directions, a three-dimensional loop was created. the light-filled classrooms connect the space as one, encouraging group learning activities for the students. by adopting a new spatial framework, the architecture facilitates a new method of usage and functions.
outdoor space image © toshihide kajiwara
looking into the interior image © toshihide kajiwara
interior view image © toshihide kajiwara
images © toshihide kajiwara
stairway image © toshihide kajiwara
image © toshihide kajiwara
image © toshihide kajiwara
image © toshihide kajiwara
night view image © toshihide kajiwara
elevation at night image © toshihide kajiwara
