The window to the world!

Compiled by Team IAnD

Photography: Lee Namsun; courtesy Daniel Valle Architects

Read Time: 2 mins

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Whether child or adult, Daniel Valle Architects believe in nurturing the mindset of an individual by shaping his perception; and for each, they have a magical window…

When designing a kindergarten for children in Seoul, South Korea, Ar. Daniel Valle decided to zero-in on the fact that children have a different scale of perception, where everything looks larger in size than when we see it as adults. Hence, focussing on the idea of scaling down the perception of the building so that the young users can relate more to it, he divides the massing of the building into five smaller volumes: each with a distinctive colour, geometry and finishing material to emphasize the smaller ones among the overall mass. 

Windows also contribute to the overall idea of scale perception. They are designed in various sizes and heights so that all users - children from one to five years and adults - can have direct views to the exterior. No matter what the height of the user, there will always be a window that adjusts to it. 

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The building is located at the junction of two roads. The main entrance of the building opens towards the wider road; consequently, the entrance is designed such that children cannot have a direct exit to the road, but rather must transition through a safety area that serves as a playground and acts as a necessary buffer zone between classes and the outside traffic din. For safety reasons, the parking area is located on the opposite side from the main entrance with access for vehicles from the secondary road.

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The programme of the day care centre is organized around a central stair painted in blue colour with a large skylight on the roof that allows natural light to filter into the heart of the building. Classrooms open towards this space.

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Classrooms are orientated to the south and east, while the serving programmes such as kitchen, storages, elevator, and bathrooms are orientated towards the north. A greenhouse is located on the third floor that not only acts as part of the educational programme but also as a heating system during the cold days of the winter. The warm air accumulated during the day is released later in the evening to the inner spaces, contributing to the overall air treatment of the building.

Ground Floor plan

Concept

Despite catering to a unique world within, the building maintains an interaction with its bustling exterior, metaphorically inducting the young ones into the inescapable social fabric.

Fact File:

Client: Maepong Day Care Centre

Architect firm: Daniel Valle Architects

Principal Architect: Daniel Valle

Design Team: Daniel Valle, Irene R Vara, Sunmin Lee, Yejun Pee, Sojeong Noh, Javier Chan Porras, Iago Blanco

Size: 800 sq. m.

Location: Seoul, South Korea