Kendall International Børnehaveindretning by Cocoon Architecture Ltd.

Kendall International Børnehaveindretning by Cocoon Architecture Ltd. is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2020 A' Design Award i Jern in Indretning og Udstillingsdesign Competition Category.

JernIndretning· 2020

Kendall International Børnehaveindretning

by Cocoon Architecture Ltd.

Client: Cocoon Architecture Ltd

A' Design Award i Jern Winner in Indretning Category

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Verified Award Winner
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Colors

The Design

About Kendall International Børnehaveindretning

Kendall International er en børnehaveindretning placeret i soklen på en tårnbygning i Hongkong. Boksformede klasseværelser er erstattet af halvhøje landsbyhuse arrangeret omkring en central plads. Pladsen udnytter soklens høje loftshøjde og indeholder en klatrevæg, et fuglehus placeret på en søjle, en hævet gangbro og en rutsjebane. Åbninger forbinder de rolige klasseværelser med den aktive plads. Enkle naturmaterialer i hvide og trænære nuancer danner en rolig baggrund. Layoutet understøtter læring gennem udforskning og en følelse af fællesskab.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award i Jern

Kendall International Børnehaveindretning er vinder af A' Design Award i Jern, en prestigefyldt anerkendelse, der tildeles gode designs, som opfylder de professionelle og industrielle krav, man forventer af veldesignede skabelser. Jernvinderne viser stor dygtighed, høj specialisering, ekspertforståelse og kreativ kapacitet hos deres skabere. Kendall International Børnehaveindretning forventes at være en højt estimeret, beundret og kær skabelse, der er praktisk og innovativ. Dette design, der har vundet A' Design Award i Jern, integrerer branchens bedste praksis og har kompetente tekniske egenskaber knyttet til knowhow og talent. Kendall International Børnehaveindretning respekteres for sin grundighed og er designet til at levere forbedringer af livskvaliteten, der er med til at gøre verden til et bedre sted.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: 1. Scale of CITY vs Scale of VILLAGE
A village is created among the many towers. Classrooms are shaped as village houses clustering around a Central Plaza, where the kids play and run and dance.
2. Scale of ROOMS vs Scale of PODIUM
Existing high headroom makes the Central Plaza like outdoor. Different levels become possible for kids to explore, like bird-house and climbing wall.
3. Scale of TEACHERS vs Scale of KIDS
Kids have different ergonomics requirement. A suitably crafted space can increase their sense of belongings.
Dimensions & Packaging: This client is new to the kindergarten industry so they are open-minded and dare to challenge the current situation in Hong Kong. As it is a startup, the budget is a bit tight. We avoid luxury materials and put our effort in making full potential of the space and gives the best experience to the kids.
The materials used are simple and natural, mostly in white and wooden color, making the space a backdrop for the colorful kids. Instead of celebrating the architectural space we emphasize the kids’ existence.
Tags: Village, Kids
Design Challenge: Hong Kong is a Vertical City. Kindergarten in podium of a tower building is common. Kids study in boxes called classrooms. This kindergarten also situated in the ground floor shop of a podium in Cheung Sha Wan district amidst a very local community.
Thanks to the special characteristics of the site and the enlightening teaching philosophy, we challenge the scenario of a common podium kindergarten. We would like to make this kindergarten a community within a community. Instead of box-like classrooms with enclosing walls, we put half-height village houses around a Central Plaza, all behind full transparent glass partitions. When you pass by the kindergarten, it is like a village in a city.
Research: The podium is of high headroom. Multiple levels are provided to make full use of the height. A climbing wall, a birdhouse hung on a column and a sky walkway connected to a slide is designed for kids to explore, to move up and down experiencing the kindergarten from different angles.
Columns are regarded as features to add value to space, not as obstacles. The column at entrance is turned into a chimney of a village house while the central column symbolizes a tree by the attachment of a birdhouse.
Inspiration: Hong Kong is a Vertical City. Kindergarten in podium of a tower building is common. Kids study in boxes called classrooms. Decoration is colorful, sometimes too colorful.
The teaching philosophy of the kindergarten is Reggio. The two main concepts are kids as active constructor of knowledge and encourage them to be part of a big community.
Thanks to the special characteristics of the site and the enlightening teaching philosophy, we challenge the scenario of a common podium kindergarten by studying: Scale of City vs Scale of Village, Scale of Rooms vs Scale of Podium & Scale of Teacher vs Scale of Kids.
Project Duration: The project is located in the podium of a typical podium & tower building in Hong Kong. Thanks to the special characteristic of the site, we challenge the scenario of a common podium kindergarten. The project completed in February 2018.
Team Members: YUNG Chung Kwong, CHIU Hang Mei Mary Grace
Image Credits: cocoon architecture ltd.