KINCANG Modern Pre-school, the kindergarten was designed by LYCS Architecture with integrated architecture and interior design. The project is designed in accordance with the highest standards of kindergarten architecture in China and includes 18 classes with a construction area of 16,512 square meters. The project is located in the high-density old town of Shaoxing, surrounded by settlements from all generations. The Xiaoshao Canal flows quietly from the southeast of the site, reflecting the calm and quiet life of the old town. The design team came up with the concept of "the Wizard of Oz" around the theme of "exploration," dividing the building into six white "huts," which face the river and sit around an undulating "The "white houses" and the "green carpet" cleverly hide part of the building, creating a multi-dimensional three-dimensional activity space, hiding the building in nature and reproducing the innocence of the Wizard of Oz. The building is concealed in nature, recreating the innocence of the Wizard of Oz.
The building volume is broken down into six small, round, Q-tip houses arranged in a U-shape around the large courtyard, with a green carpet running through the courtyard and the second-floor space, forming a rolling grass slope, giving the children a sense of security.
The garden at the center faces the river. On a clear day, the garden's lush greenery and the river's shimmering waves attract children to the outdoors to experience real nature. Children can not only be exposed to various plants and flowers but also raise loaches in the small pond and small animals in the backyard along the river, actively constructing their cognitive network through interaction with nature.
The building presents a diverse yet harmonious sense of unity, the main body is mainly white, and the inner side is embellished with warm yellow and fire red from the sun to increase the fun and vitality of the space. The small house customized for the children awakens their sense of identity and belonging to the campus, thus turning the site into a paradise for the children.
Unlike the conventional symmetrical double-slope design, the ridge of each small house is deflected in an interesting way to achieve a subtle hyperbolic asymmetrical double-slope roof, which makes the building shape more dynamic and childlike. At the same time, the building gables and openings are rounded and chamfered to give children a sense of warmth and closeness.
The Wizard of Oz consists of a multi-directional, three-dimensional activity space. Montessori believes children's psychological development should result from "experiences gained through exploring the environment." Unlike clear and independent divisions between levels, the vertical green slope divides the building into two levels. Then it connects the inside and outside through stairs and corridors, forming a multi-level open space. Children can use the stairs on the grass slope to reach the outdoor corridor on the second floor or quickly reach the large central courtyard to play after class. A stained-glass corridor connects the six small-scale buildings, and the light passes through the stained glass, creating a childlike feeling of space and enhancing spatial guidance, while the children observe the world outside through the stained glass and perceive a different view than usual.
The saturated colors run from the building to the interior, and multiple large bright color blocks with warm wood colors are used in each space to divide the usage functions simply and efficiently. Children's favorite elements, such as rounded arches and chamfered corners, can be seen everywhere, and the functions of the interior spaces are combined with the ergonomics of young children to create personalized teaching spaces in a scenario-based manner. From the children's perspective, the campus is a forest encounter, where slides and fun devices will meet unexpectedly at a corner, and play spaces for children are prepared everywhere. The cultural activity space is an important place for children to interact with each other. The basketball court, small theater, parent-child dining bar, picture book library, and swimming pool are set on the active line of the first floor of the building, which is like a "dream parade" and is the initial social initiation of children.
