Project: OM Nursery
Award: Education – Nursery, primary and secondary schools, Bronze, 2022
Location: Ibaraki, Japan
Architect: HIBINOSEKKEI + Youji no Shiro
Client: Social welfare corporation Wakabakai
This glorious, child centred nursery is designed to maximise opportunities for free and active play. The low-rise building includes extra wide corridors – including a broad avenue in the centre of the building which allows sight lines from one end to the other, encouraging children to run and explore the space. All weather play features include suspended play nets and an indoor slide. Semi-outdoor spaces are provided throughout the building to connect it with the outside world. A large pilotis between the nursery and the childcare support room allows children to play freely outside even on rainy days. Skylights are thoughtfully placed to maximise natural light. A shallow paddling pool facilitates year round water play while the dining room connected to the terrace is a place to spend time while watching the breeze from outside and the light reflecting off the surface of the water and shifting to the ceiling.
Design highlights
The exterior walls are made of a colourless metal that reflect the passage of time as they weather and age and have been selected to give the building a changing appearance that also reflects the sunlight and sky colour.
Photo credit: Toshinari Soga ( studio BAUHAUS )
- LEAD ARCHITECTS: Taku Hibino (CEO and Chairman,HIBINOSEKKEI+Youji no Shiro) / Naoki Monma(HIBINOSEKKEI+Youji no Shiro)