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Children's forest(2021-)

It is a preschool project planned in a forest area near Mountain Fuji.

The land, filled with tall hinoki trees, is mostly sloped with a small hill that rises up to 5 meters to the southwest of the site. Instead of flattening the ground, we have suggested a place integrated with the contour where the rooms are spread out over the hillside, each at different floor level but connected by interior ramps or in-between multifunctional spaces/courtyards.

The roof floats over the collection of volumes, touching the hilltop at one end from where people can climb up to the roof terrace. The series of semicircular edge line of the roof flows among trees on the site while embracing the interior area under its bubbly shape. Partially perforated like cloud gaps, the roof allows natural light to the courtyards and further to the interior, enough to reach out to all the classrooms despite the wide span of the clustered area.

Like a bubble of sunlight spread through the trees, the school floats in the forest calm yet bright in harmony with the natural environment.

Location:Gotemba-shi, Shizuoka, Japan 
Program:Preschool / daycare
Site area:11200m2
Building area:1346.46m2
Total floor area:960.94m2
Structure・Scale:Wood structure / 1F, partially 2F
※Completion estimated:Spring 2023

Publication:GA JAPAN 179

Award:SD Review 2022

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