Established in 2004, Sunshine Kindergarten is located in Xian County, Hebei Province. It is an open-minded institution dedicated to innovative education. With support from the Leping Public Welfare Foundation for STEAM space design, the kindergarten has undertaken an upgrade and expansion of its original campus. This renovation aims to better serve the community by providing enhanced innovative education and STEAM courses.
Sunshine Kindergarten encourages preschoolers to satisfy their curiosity and engage in creative exploration as they develop cognition. To facilitate this, a covered circular corridor connects the old and new learning spaces, uniting various scattered areas throughout the campus. This ring acts as a social hub, where children of different ages participate in activities tailored to their courses and interests.
On the west side, the corridor links to a newly constructed multifunctional hall. This spacious, column-free area accommodates large indoor group activities. On the east side, it connects to the main hall, which serves as a waiting area for parents.
This exploration environment is designed as a flexible informal learning space that promotes spontaneous discovery. The wide corridor beneath the ring supports various activities such as building large structures with foam blocks or role-playing games like a small supermarket with food trucks. It also functions as an indoor activity space during unfavorable weather. These activities arise naturally from children’s interests, making the space what Reggio Emilia founder Loris Malaguzzi called the “third teacher,” fostering independent learning and easing the teacher’s workload.
Within the exploration ring, there are performance areas of various sizes, multiple amusement parks, and traditional classrooms. The design embraces the educational philosophy of “experiential learning,” allowing children to engage fully with the real world. The campus features indoor greenhouses and outdoor gardens where children can learn from nature.
Two STEAM classrooms are thoughtfully designed to meet practical teaching needs, equipped with kitchens and woodworking facilities to support activities in art, engineering, and astronomy. Additionally, movable STEAM corner facilities allow teachers to bring hands-on learning activities to different areas throughout the kindergarten.
To foster confidence and independence, the entire exploration environment is designed at a child’s scale. Features like treehouses, mini stages, and greenhouses are all tailored to the height and needs of preschool children. Small nooks within classrooms provide spaces for solitude or focused activities, equipped with child-sized furniture and easily accessible tools and materials on low shelves, encouraging independent exploration.
The kindergarten is a vibrant learning community, made up of diverse small spaces and varied courses and activities that encourage social interaction. Through thoughtful spatial design and tools that promote autonomous play and growth, the “Exploring Learning Environment” strives to nurture lifelong learners of the future.
Project Drawings
△ Design Concept
△ General Layout Plan
△ Floor Plan
△ Section Diagram
△ Section Diagram
△ Section Diagram
△ Section Diagram
△ Sectional Perspective View
△ Analysis Chart
△ Analysis Chart
Project Information
Architectural Design: Various Buildings
Area: 2,165 m²
Project Year: 2020
Photographer: Zhu Yumeng
Design Leads: He Zhe, James Shen, Zang Feng
Project Leaders: Kong Ming, Xu Jialing
Design Team: Wang Yibo, Anouchka van Driel, Kim Dahyun, Lin Yirou
Structural Design: Yu Fengbo
STEAM Space Project Funding: Beijing Leping Public Welfare Foundation
Location: Cangzhou, China
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