Related News
Even kids will find marvels in people-friendly buildings
By Gu Xianhui and Wang Jie |
July 26, 2010, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
IT was a sultry summer day. But reporters instantly felt refreshingly cool when entered the Jiading New Town Kindergarten. I looked around and found no trace of any air conditioner. It was not until after a chat with the architect of this children's playland that I learned the secret to it all.
The building was constructed entirely with honeycombed synthetic material to achieve better ventilation. Moreover, the walls are as thick as 60 centimeters, most ideal for thermal insulation and keeping indoor temperatures at comfortable levels. The difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures may be six or seven degrees Celsius in summer or winter. Although the architect has kept air conditioning wiring for practical purposes, all the wires have been concealed beneath wall panels to achieve a neat look.
This building was designed by a local architecture firm, Atelier Deshaus. Despite a short history of barely ten years, this young team has enjoyed closes professional ties with Jiading. Its other works include the Urban Planning Exhibition Hall of Jiading New Town °?- a winner of the Outstanding Construction Project Management Award by the Royal Chartered Institute of Building, and the Jiading Museum, which is under construction.
According to Chen Yifeng, one of the architects, the most unique feature of this kindergarten is its "expanded" space for children's activities, which has turned the whole building into a super amusement park. All its three stories are connected by long ramps instead of conventional stairs, and its courtyard is connected with other parts mainly via ramps.
This serves as a daily passage for student as well as an exciting space full of life and imagination. Here, children are encouraged to play happily on the ramps.
Unlike most other kindergartens that use cartoon pictures to attract the attention of children, New Town Kindergarten uses metallic textures and flowery colors instead. As one of the architects said, "Although cartoon pictures can easily catch children's eyes, they may hinder their imagination; on the contrary, different colors can greatly inspire their imagination." The architect has also purposely blurred the layout of spaces of this kindergarten to suit the different purposes: a multimedia classroom today or a toy room tomorrow.
Another feature worthy of notice is how the kindergarten exhibits the architectural characteristics of Southeast China. It shows the structural beauty of traditional local gardens instead of tangible objects like brooks and bridges. Light weight materials have been chosen for the kindergarten, including perforated sun shades to allow light into the classroom without it being blinding or obtrusive.
The building was constructed entirely with honeycombed synthetic material to achieve better ventilation. Moreover, the walls are as thick as 60 centimeters, most ideal for thermal insulation and keeping indoor temperatures at comfortable levels. The difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures may be six or seven degrees Celsius in summer or winter. Although the architect has kept air conditioning wiring for practical purposes, all the wires have been concealed beneath wall panels to achieve a neat look.
This building was designed by a local architecture firm, Atelier Deshaus. Despite a short history of barely ten years, this young team has enjoyed closes professional ties with Jiading. Its other works include the Urban Planning Exhibition Hall of Jiading New Town °?- a winner of the Outstanding Construction Project Management Award by the Royal Chartered Institute of Building, and the Jiading Museum, which is under construction.
According to Chen Yifeng, one of the architects, the most unique feature of this kindergarten is its "expanded" space for children's activities, which has turned the whole building into a super amusement park. All its three stories are connected by long ramps instead of conventional stairs, and its courtyard is connected with other parts mainly via ramps.
This serves as a daily passage for student as well as an exciting space full of life and imagination. Here, children are encouraged to play happily on the ramps.
Unlike most other kindergartens that use cartoon pictures to attract the attention of children, New Town Kindergarten uses metallic textures and flowery colors instead. As one of the architects said, "Although cartoon pictures can easily catch children's eyes, they may hinder their imagination; on the contrary, different colors can greatly inspire their imagination." The architect has also purposely blurred the layout of spaces of this kindergarten to suit the different purposes: a multimedia classroom today or a toy room tomorrow.
Another feature worthy of notice is how the kindergarten exhibits the architectural characteristics of Southeast China. It shows the structural beauty of traditional local gardens instead of tangible objects like brooks and bridges. Light weight materials have been chosen for the kindergarten, including perforated sun shades to allow light into the classroom without it being blinding or obtrusive.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
