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Architects: SoBA
- Area: 10000 m²
- Year: 2024
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Photographs:Arch-Exist
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Lead Architects: Wang Ruo, Tang Haiyin
Text description provided by the architects. Kunshan Huaqiao, a key area in the Yangtze River Delta, has rapidly developed into a modern district with a global perspective, driven by its openness and swift internationalization. The client aims to create a landmark architectural node here to highlight the area's openness and diversity while providing enriched spaces for children's learning and living. The Sky Castle Kindergarten is a design study born from this vision. Inspired by the vast and dreamy sky, our design seeks to create an environment that fosters endless possibilities and exploration. Through a unique design language, we aim to spark children's curiosity and creativity, making every corner a stage for them to express themselves and explore the world.
The building is designed as a series of "cloud" shapes that enclose a unique " Sky Castle" just for children. This enclosed design alleviates the oppressive feeling imposed by the surrounding high-rise residential developments and also shields the kindergarten from potential future disruptions from the commercial plot to the south that has yet to be developed.
Designed with a "cloud" theme, we have created several outdoor activity courtyards of varying shapes and sizes. Each classroom, whether on the ground floor or upper levels, connects to its corresponding outdoor area, including courtyards on the ground level and connecting corridors on the second floor. The hyperbolic roof mimics the shape of clouds, and the all-white façade of the building harmonizes with the vibrant and playful rainbow pathways. The design carefully considers spatial scale and color usage, aiming to create a comfortable and dynamic environment for children at this stage of growth. The dreamy pink staircase not only meets fire safety and evacuation code but also becomes a part of the children's imaginative world and memories, inspiring their creativity and desire for exploration.
In addition to the mandatory fire access routes, we have consolidated the main entrance to the kindergarten, the vehicle entrance, and the fire exit all on the eastern side of the site to maximize the area available for the campus space. A certain number of ground-level parking spaces are provided to the north of the main entrance. The logistics entrance is located on the western side of the parking lot. To mitigate adverse impacts, the southern, western, and northern sides of the building are enclosed with walls and landscaped areas, in addition to the fire lanes.
The "cloud" clusters are oriented north-south, with a lower elevation to the south and a higher elevation to the north, and a lower elevation to the east and a higher elevation to the west. This design maximizes natural light while allowing visitors to discern the building's overall effect upon approaching the main entrance. As the primary space in the kindergarten, the classroom activity units are located on the southern sides of the southern and northern building blocks, ensuring ample natural light. The logistics and service rooms are situated in blocks closer to the logistics parking area. Administrative offices are positioned near the main entrance and in the highest block to the northwest. Specialized classrooms, such as the multifunctional hall, reading room, and music room, are scattered at the turning points of the building blocks.
The metal roof design combines large flat areas with sections of double-curved surfaces. Considering cost control and reducing construction difficulty, we introduced parametric design to manage the details of the roof shape. This approach ensures a balance between the curvature of the double-curved surfaces and the tolerable bending limits of the aluminum-magnesium-manganese panels during actual fabrication. We communicated with the client and construction team through model animations and partial roof model displays, which helped eliminate most ambiguities.
For the outdoor spaces, we drew inspiration from the sky and incorporated "rainbows" into the design, complementing the building's "cloud" theme. The main entrance courtyard features a semi-circular moon shape to guide visitors in, while the central courtyard includes a quarter-sun design with sandpits and slides representing the sun's rays. A rainbow pathway extends from the main entrance, winding through the entrance and central courtyards, encircling the southern building block, and returning to the start. This loop design reflects children's natural love for running in circles. Nearby, we've also created a rest area for teachers.
We focus on the impact of this microenvironment on children's future development. The design includes numerous step-free entrances, wide corridors, and stair railings with separate handrails for teachers and children. Given the height and behavioral characteristics of children, the spaces within the classroom units are designed proportionally to their size to facilitate independent use. For example, features such as low sinks, toilets, seating, and storage cabinets are all designed with children's dimensions in mind.
The ground-floor classrooms connect directly to the courtyard, and the corridor space provides a spot for children to gather briefly and shield them from wind and rain. The design features a flexible, spacious multifunctional area, including a two-story high multifunctional room that accommodates various activities. This space is versatile enough for children's artistic and athletic displays, as well as future community gatherings, fostering social interaction and enhancing community cohesion. Throughout the design process, the client engaged relevant department heads, teachers, and community members to discuss and refine the details of the plan. This involvement has increased the future users' sense of ownership and ensured that the design truly meets their needs. To achieve rapid construction and expedite the opening of the kindergarten, each classroom unit has been modularized. The project also incorporates a smart building management system that automatically adjusts lighting, air conditioning, and ventilation to optimize energy use.
In the landscape design, the client required compliance with resilience design. Therefore, we included a rainwater collection system for irrigating plant beds, a graywater treatment system for recycling wastewater and reducing municipal water demand, and features such as rain gardens. These elements not only enhance the environment and regulate the microclimate but also reduce stormwater runoff and increase biodiversity within the kindergarten.
