Future Center Kindergarten

designed by Z+T Studio /

Location / China — Type / Playgrounds — School — Built / 2021 — Show on Google Maps / Published on June 21, 2023

Traditionally, the boundary between the school campus and the compound was designed as red brick walls in China. People living in the compound will be noticed by the noises when the early morning broadcast playing during the school sports day. The border could be railings sometimes, where the outsiders can see through without interruption.

What will be the reciprocal relationship between the two communities in the future, while kids carry more energy and compounds need more interactions?

As public service requires more kindergartens for the communities, Future Center Kindergarten in Shijiazhuang is strategically promoted by SUNAC company together with a housing development in 2021. We participated in the landscape design work for the kindergarten and cooperated with an architecture company for the building.

ART, NATURE and EXPLORATION as the keywords of the design concept, show our understanding of the context. How to break the physical barrier and discover a new connection between the school campus and the housing compound was our start point. Based on years of practice in structure fabrication and installation, we discussed with architects for the inner semi-opened building, re-organized outdoor openings for different activities, and released potential spaces for energy and fantasies.

Blurred boundary – Infinite Ring

There will be an invisible boundary referring to the existing site condition, with the future kindergarten on one side and the community play ground on the other. Kids’ activities, safety, and participation are the most important design consideration. The circles as the main design language in this case continuously link the overall site. Activities are located in the outside circles, where the edges are diffused with the axis of building’s circle center. The original site boundary is interspersed and hidden in the different circular spaces.

However, the design is not a graphic play. The definition of a boundary also needs a 3-dimensional consideration. The vertical transportation of the Infinite Ring is placed inside the kindergarten. The connections to the compound break the physical boundary with various routines, such as a slide behind the wall, a trampoline only for kids, a vertical talking pipe installation, and a kaleidoscope for a distant view.

The purpose of the Infinite Ring is to provide safety management as a limitation for kids’ activities on a high level. On the other hand, the arcs of the connecting bridge blur the boundary and soften the rigid concept of wall from completely separation.

Redefine the wall – Interactive landscape walls

The redefined wall here are decorated with holes, colors, rock climbing, and xylophones. Kids could climb through or climb up the wall with the facilities. The color and sound of the wall are playful and inspiring. At the end, a water fountain sprays at the shallow pool, which is used for an outdoor theater when the water is drain out.

For the Future

Just imagine in the future, boys and girls are swinging, running on the circle bridge, laughing and playing inside of the kindergarten. On the other side of neighborhood, the elders are gazing and smiling while watching the kids play. They may play together and have fun though the redefined wall.