kientruc o introduces vibrant 'playhouse' kindergarten to ho chi minh city

architecture firm kientruc o completes its whimsical ‘TTC elite saigon kindergarten‘ in ho chi minh city, vietnam. designed as a playhouse for its students, the project is conceived as a simple and singular geometric shape — a strategy aimed to provoke a sense of curiosity. with its minimal volume, the design team introduces the building’s defining playful quality with the use of rounded figural windows, all irregular in their collective layout and proportions.

all images by quang tran

while the layout of the windows seems randomized, it has been systematically calculated to ensure the allowance of adequate natural daylight and ventilation when in use. these openings allow children to peer outward — stimulating imagination and curiosity — and establishing a direct relationship between the interior playspace and the living, ever-changing exterior environment.

with the TTC elite saigon kindergarten, kientruc o introduces a playful object building to the urban fabric of ho chi minh city’s district 3. the team expresses a clear emphasis on its use of color with its seemingly scattered windows. through the openings, light runs along the vibrant windowsill, highlighting the surface and flooding the interiors with an atmospheric wash of color.

in a holistic view, the architecture suggests a cubist geometry, reflecting those of the neighboring housing blocks. with this sensitivity to the surrounding context, the kindergarten brings with it a fresh and lively quality to the urban grid.

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project info:

title: TTC elite saigon kindergarten

architecture: kientroc o

lead architect: đàm vũ

project team: anni lê, phương đoàn, việt nguyễn, duy tăng, giang lê

location: district 3, ho chi minh city, vietnam

project year: 2017

photography: quang tran