© Xia Zhi
- Architects: Atelier Fronti
- Location: Lianhuachi W Rd, GongZhuFen/WanShou Lu, Haidian Qu, Beijing Shi, China
- Lead Architects: Yun Wang
- Design Team: Rufeng Wang, Guannan Zhao, Keping Ji, Zhengyan Li, Xin Zhao
- Area: 2300.0 m2
- Project Year: 2016
- Photographs: Xia Zhi, Hao Chen, Yun Wang
© Xia Zhi
Text description provided by the architects. Wujiachang kindergarten project, located in Lianxijiayuan community on the south side of Lotus Pond West Road in Haidian District, Beijing city, is a kindergarten with nine classes. This kindergarten is built as a supporting facility for the surrounding economically affordable housing.
© Yun Wang
1F Plan
© Hao Chen
Looking downward upon the main building, it is divided into two functionally different sections by an east-west corridor. The required activity rooms, lounges and restroom spaces for each class form a standard functional unit. The three classes on each floor are accompanied by two staircase spaces, which are lined along the east-west direction on the south side of the central plane corridor, and on the south side of the building, the same functional planes develop up to the third floor.
© Hao Chen
In addition to the above functional layout, the most important consideration of the kindergarten is to view its entirety as a mode for spatial experience to be provided for children’s use.
© Yun Wang
Therefore, a rich spacial playing system is formed by the kindergarten through linking up the vertical transportation components and spacial devices on the north side. The space within the cantilevered physical volume over the platform connects with the platform through a traffic pipeline near the north facade of the building.
© Xia Zhi
On the east side of the platform, there is a cambered physical volume extending upward from the wall of the outdoor courtyard at the first floor. In this space, the first floor and the platform at the second floor are connected by a staircase ascending along the wall.
© Xia Zhi
In the northeast corner of the platform, an outdoor staircase connects with the courtyard on the north side, and an outdoor staircase is arranged in the middle of the platform close to the corridor on the south side, which can be connected to the first-floor corridor.
© Xia Zhi
The two main staircases on the south side will allow people to access the roof activity platform on the south side of the building. The activity space is cordoned by a glass fence in a region of triangular plane. In such a system, there is a wide range of possibilities for the connection between those spaces, allowing every child to travel with an abundance of choices and contingencies. The whole building seeks to become a huge “spacial toy” for children to play in.
© Yun Wang
