Text description provided by the architects. These are a classroom for preschool children and an after-school childcare center in a kindergarten in Yokohama. This is a renovation project of two sections of dilapidated dwelling with shop, which is 40 years old and a two-storied building, to change them into 4 classrooms. The key concept is “SATELLITE”, concomitant with the main facility kindergarten located across from the site and with the hope that this building will become the place like children’s base.

The existing exterior is kept, and we put some skins with dot pattern according to the design image of galaxy. Giving depth with light and shadow, we tried to update the image of former old building.

East Elevation

By setting distinctive windows, passers-by can see inside. It makes chances that people get to know the curriculum of this program. It gives brightness to the inside and close relationship to the outside.

Second Floor Plan

Regarding the interior, plyboards which looks rough in spite of natural materials are used. Like a base, everything is kept compact for realizing the unity among the building of interior and exterior.

© Kenjiro Yoshimi

• Architects

  HIBINOSEKKEI, Youji no Shiro

• Location

  Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

• Category

  Kindergarten

• Collaboration

  Interior Design Farm

• Area

  160.0 m2

• Project Year

  2017

• Photographs

  Kenjiro Yoshimi