fukae yasuyuki forms aikominori nursery school around communal garden

fukae yasuyuki forms aikominori nursery school around communal garden
photo © tomoki hahakura
all images courtesy of fukae yasuyuki architects

‘aikominori nursery school’, for children from ages zero to five years old, stands on the kizugawa city in kyoto. designed by fukae yasuyuki architects, it is located at the southernmost point of the prefecture, where people can feel pleasant breezes and take in the scenery of the nearby mountains.

looking out towards the garden
photo © tomoki hahakura

the one-story complex maximizes the amount of available space for students, teachers, and visitors by embedding a square courtyard into its core. the gesture pushes the rest of the program to the perimeter. here, the resultant outer layer is segmented into two equal L-shaped portions. beginning from the east, visitors are granted easy access towards the central greenery directly ahead and the nursery to the left that occupies the entire half. in order to divide the toddlers into smaller, more manageable groups, the space is subdivided by bars of storage closets and restrooms that simultaneously act as sound barriers. to the north, the end of the nursery is capped by another entrance that is adjacent to the private functions of the school – the kitchen, lunch room, after school care, multipurpose hall, and offices.

morning sun wrapping 4-year- and 5-year-old spaces
photo © tomoki hahakura

the sliding doors in their closed position
photo © yasuyuki fukae

looking down the corridor that lines the nursery
photo © yasuyuki fukae

a wood and white color palette defines the interior aesthetic
photo © tomoki hahakura 

in regards to the exterior scheme, no large openings have been made on the façade. instead, slits of windows are created at eye level and glazed panels orient views back toward the middle of the school yard. this deliberate lack of fenestration negotiates a necessary level of safety and respects the residential developments of the surrounding area.

view from the southwest with the strip of windows wrapping the corner
photo © tomoki hahakura

all of the interior spaces contrast the central courtyard
photo © tomoki hahakura

the internal outdoor garden at night
photo © tomoki hahakura

view of south facade. 

night view of south façade
photo © tomoki hahakura 

first plan

project info:

project name: aikominori nursery school
location: kyoto, japan
use: nursery school
site area: 3005.01 sqm
building area: 1231.58 sqm
total floor area: 1139.58 sqm
structure: steel construction

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.