SECLUDED KINDY PROVIDES A HAVEN FOR KIDS
04 Oct 2018
Surrounded by densely populated residences and factories, a new kindergarten in Tokyo has been designed to create a secluded space where the children and teachers can learn and have fun, surrounded by nature.
Tomonoki-Himawari Kindergarten, located in Tokyo’s Arakawa ward, is a newly established private kindergarten with a capacity of 175 people. Seeing that the surrounding environment was densely populated by houses and factories, Mamm Design aspired to create a space that would contribute to the growth of the children’s minds and bodies, and where the teachers and children could feel surrounded by nature. 
To achieve this, the studio arranged the classrooms and playroom to encircle the lush, green, light-filled garden to create a courtyard that brings the outside in. 
To correspond with the children’s developmental changes, Mamm Design set up diverse spaces, such as classrooms, with different ceiling heights, playhouses suspended above the courtyard, and outdoor corridors, which are looped and differ in width so that the children can have a variety of spaces to play or rest in. Furthermore, the uses for each space was not decided beforehand in order to give the teachers and children the freedom to enjoy and utilise the rooms in ways that benefit them. 
“As designers, we can appreciate the way spaces change for the people that use them,” explained the team at Mamm Design. “To further stimulate and enrich the children’s sensitivity, the entire facility is planted three-dimensionally in a way that showcases the four seasons and the changes in vegetation. As nature transforms with the seasons, the insects and birds that the vegetation attracts can be enjoyed by the children and their parents.” 
Inspired by the surroundings, natural motifs such as insects, trees, etc. are hidden within and around the building as patterns and objects, so that the children can enjoy the space by constantly discovering new things. “As architects, we hope the special moments and memories made at Tomonoki-Himawari Kindergarten stay with the children even after graduation,” said Maya Mada, co-founder of Mamm Design. 
