Subaru Kindergarten is a daycare center relocated from a previous location and newly established in the suburbs of Fukuoka. Following the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake in Japan, the client requested that the architect design a resilient building to ensure the safety of the children.
This kindergarten prioritizes physical education and is designed to separate children into two age groups: younger children aged 0 to 2 years, and older children aged 3 to 5 years. This division allows for tailored physical activities suitable for each group’s developmental stage.
During the site visit, the architect discovered a small forest connected to a local shrine on the west side, offering views of expansive rice fields and Huali Mountain, as well as a panoramic vista of the mountain range to the northeast. These natural surroundings inspired the architects to thoughtfully integrate the kindergarten with its environment.
Two gardens were designed adjacent to each nursery: one facing the sacred grove and the other overlooking the southern rice fields. The building’s winding form envelops these gardens, with administrative spaces, including teachers’ offices, placed at key junctions to allow observation of children’s activities.
The building also features a conference hall with a raised stage positioned at a corner, resulting in an irregular S-shaped floor plan.
The architect explored various roof structures to meet specific requirements: eaves extend 2 meters deep to shield the building from heavy rain and strong typhoon winds, and the clearance above the conference hall stage exceeds 4 meters to accommodate its function.
The final design features a continuous envelope made from 180mm thick concrete slabs, seamlessly connecting walls to eaves and rising into a three-dimensional curved roof.
Through design optimization, the roof’s three-dimensional surface minimizes structural stress. It spans a column-free space 15 meters wide and 4 meters high, merging smoothly with the walls to create a cohesive structure.
From the hall, the distant mountain scenery appears close thanks to horizontal window frames that frame the view.
From the exterior, the building’s undulating roof, shaped by algorithmic design, harmonizes with the natural contours of Hualingshan Mountain, creating a continuous landscape that seamlessly integrates the structure with its surroundings. This embodies the architect’s vision of architecture as a continuous volume, becoming part of the rich natural environment.
Technical Drawings
△ Plan View
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Section Diagram
Project Information
Architect: RFA+CFA
Project Year: 2018
Photographer: Takumi Ota
Engineer: Eisuke Mitsuda
Site Area: 5,718.42 m²
Building Area: 1,281.88 m²
Total Floor Area: 1,203.43 m²
Lead Architects: Ryuji Fujimura, Shunji Hayashida
City: Ogōri
Country: Japan
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