A rooftop deck terrace gives the impression of drifting over the sea

The OB Kindergarten designed by Youji No Shiro and HIBINOSEKKEI (also designers of the very cool D.S. Nursery see post here) in Nagasaki, Japan responds to it's ocean-fronted, yet urban dense site with a form that both makes the most of it's blue view and lack of outdoor space for play with a rooftop playground.

Seen below, a central feature of the kindergarten design is a rope loft that can only be accessed by the children having to climb up the rope-made tunnel to be greeted with a rooftop terrace facing the ocean.

Blackboard walls, house-shaped hideouts and dens, varying types of lighting and materiality and texture makes for a creatively stimulating and physically fun place to explore one's capabilities and in which to grow a "challenging mind".

A sunny indoor and outdoor terraced double-height glazed dining hall is a central coming-together point in which the children can share their all important meal times.

The architects believe that art is also especially important and have provided "messy" spaces (along with the many blackboard walls) for this activity to occur.



I'm well impressed with Youji No Shiro's continuing work in the area of EC architecture and look forward to seeing what more they come up with.

Via Designboom and ArchDaily.