challenge design folds a metal façade over a kindergarten in china

conceived by chinese architects, challenge design, the ‘park legend kindergarten‘ has been built on a site in chengdu’s tianfu new area. positioned between a 100 meter-long green belt and a dramatic urban landscape, the project is formed to combine nature and modernity into one sweeping geometry. as opposed to designing a typical colorful nursery, the team has instead opted to present a pure, simple, yet interesting building in response to the theory of children being able to simplify complex shapes in their minds.

all images © prism images / lujing / xionghuan

the project has been developed by challenge design to incorporate elements of nature, for example, the layout is planned according to the irregularly-shaped site, while the elevational geometry is created to resemble a mountain profile. by embracing this concept, the kindergarten intends to connect children with the natural environment. to further achieve this goal, the building is positioned with a southern aspect to flood interiors with an abundance of natural light. outdoor activity space is also provided to allow the kids to play freely, while areas of landscaping have been formed to border the surroundings.

the elevational geometry is created to resemble a mountain profile

due to the large scale of the nursery, several entrances have been included to allow children and teachers to access different spaces and avoid overcrowding at the exits. these entrances, which are articulated as tall mountain peaks, welcome people into the kindergarten and clearly define points of entry. these ‘peaks’ also function to characterize the external architecture, making it a prominent sight on the landscape.

the entrance points are articulated as peaks

within the interior, the design strives to avoid the constraints of enclosed rooms, but instead form open spaces for multifunctional learning and playing. to stimulate children’s mental and physical development, the scheme includes places for interaction and public activity. the idea of circulation has also been reimagined to create a circular corridor, which is built to integrate public and private spaces, allowing a generous and harmonious transition from a more dynamic environment to quieter states.

a number of entrance points are included to prevent congestion at exits

rather than introducing a plethora of color which can be seen across many contemporary school buildings, challenge design has instead opted for the use of white. by doing this, the aim is to showcase the light and shadows that come from daylight and leave the architecture as a ‘canvas for nature.’ overall, with a geometry to mimic the natural surroundings and the pared-back material palette, the park legend kindergarten intends to provide a harmonious and peaceful atmosphere to harness the development of children.

large amounts of glazing bring in an abundance of natural light

white is used to create a ‘canvas for nature’

façade details

the circular corridor

detail view of the corridor

aerial view of the kindergarten

the shape of the building forms a bold landmark on the landscape

project info:

project name: ‘park legend kindergarten’

project location: tianfu new area, chengdu, china

architect: challenge design

lead architects: jie lee, fang yan

project team: suya lin, hailian li, wubing feng, wei lin, xiuxian xu

client: chengdu nancheng vanke co.,ltd

completion year: 2019

built area: 60,278 ft2 (5600 m2)

interior design: enjoydesign

construction drawings: arch-age design

landscape design: wisto landscapes

landscape construction: huayuan landscapes

lighting design: pread lighting

façade design: yehua construction

façade production: lidao new material manufacture co.,ltd / zhuo fan new material manufacture co.,ltd

photography: prism images / lujing / xionghuan

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: lynne myers | designboom