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Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. East China Normal University Affiliated Bilingual Kindergarten in Shanghai by Scenic Architecture OfficeJune 2nd, 2017 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: Scenic Architecture Office Courtyard, in Chinese architecture, is not only a tradition of physical space, but also a core of emotion and communication. It helps people to keep cohesion of the family and strengthen the contacts with friends and relatives, and to connect nature and universe in a touchable way. Yet this heritage is today already an impossible dream for most of urban citizens.  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office
 Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office Anting is an urbanized suburban town near the boundary between northwestern Shanghai and Suzhou Huaqiao. The kindergarten located in a new residential neighborhood to the south of Anting station of Metro line 11, is an early bird in the construction plan of a public facility compound. Although a tight site to house 15-classes within 7400sqm, we still want to provide this kindergarten a courtyard environment for children to perceive nature, to recognize society and to build up themselves with a memory of courtyard life.  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office Courtyards need enclosure of building units. Following the leaning western border of the site, we organized the units in a setback “W” shape to earn the maximum sunlight from west, south and east, and we use Hexagon for the plan shape of the unit. The honeycomb composition fits better the leaning border, it provides more dynamic indoor and outdoor spaces with sense of concentration while diluting the axis monumentality of traditional four-sides courtyard. We ended up with an irregular hexagonal unit for either classroom or courtyard. Three of the six sides were designed in equal to accommodate more flexible combination as per the needs of sunlight and functionality.  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office After entering the gate, students and teachers will follow the zigzag corridors along the hexagon edges, go through the vestibule and the lobby, pass by different classes, with flowers and grasses in layers of courtyards, with bifurcating and merging paths before approaching their own classroom.  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office The collective activity in the classroom encircles the round column in the center of the room，while a team or individuals can use the protruding window spaces along the wall to read and write or to take care of their small plants. Every two classrooms have a shared courtyard space with direct indoor-outdoor connections. Departing from their own courtyards, the kids can restart their journeys to other places including library, musical room, fine arts room, canteen, multifunction room, small farm and other classes in other courtyards. Students at 2nd and 3rd floors can also join the big playgrounds conveniently through two covered outdoor staircases from both east and west sides.  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office By connecting different interior and exterior spaces in various scales on the corridor paths, we make every outing of the kids an experience of touching “nature” and “society”. We believe that all these experiences of exploration, perceiving and communication would become part of their precious childhood memories in an unconscious and healthy way.  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office Zhu, Xiaofeng / Scenic Architecture Mr. Zhu got his master degree of architecture from Harvard University Graduate School of Design, and bachelor degree in Architecture from Shenzhen University. He founded Scenic Architecture Office in Shanghai in 2004. He taught in Tongji University as visiting professor since 2012.  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office Scenic Architecture believes that the spirit of architecture exists in how people perceive the basics of nature and living. Architecture of 21st century shall not only respond to human’s needs, but also act as a positive media between human and environment. We use architecture to explore how space and time stimulate and absorb each other, and how to establish balanced and dynamic relevance among human, nature and society. All of these can only be realized by organizing matters like materiality, technology and form. This is what we define as “Architectural Design”. With persistent efforts on practice and thoughts, we are on the way to make architecture as a yearning life experience, and a carrier of both material and spirit.  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office  Image Courtesy © Scenic Architecture Office
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Category: Kindergarten |
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