1+1=Infinite
Imagine spring: life returns in full bloom, the warm sun awakens your senses from winter’s slumber, and before you stretches a field sprinkled with vibrant flowers. A gentle breeze carries their fragrance, lifting your spirits like a blossoming flower. We are all romantic voyagers sailing toward endless horizons, ready to explore a world brimming with infinite possibilities.
01 From Zero to One, One is Infinite
Embracing Infinite Possibilities
This project is located in Pingli County, Ankang City, Shaanxi Province—known as the “Hometown of Nüwa.” Legend says Pingli was the capital of Nüwa, one of the Three Emperors of ancient times, and the place where she repaired the sky with five colored stones. Building here means drawing inspiration from this rich history, uncovering the energy embedded in the shifting tides of time and urban transformation.
History flows endlessly, and as a mythical figure rooted in it, the civilization here offers boundless imagination and creative space.
Nüwa used five colored stones to build the architectural culture of the warm, yellow earth. She molded people from soil, giving life to all things and opening new worlds. Design often oscillates between concrete and abstract, awakening a connection to the cosmos. This tenacious vitality encourages humanity to build homes in new ways, craft harmonious layouts, and showcase regional culture from fresh perspectives.
△ Aerial view of the building with mountains in the background
This project begins with a deep reflection on the site, reinterpreted as a prototype uniting space, time, matter, and energy. The 4041-square-meter building takes inspiration from the infinity symbol, represented by the Möbius strip (∞), embodying the educational philosophy of “from zero to one, one to infinity.”
Architecture’s original intention stems from an endless source of creativity. The building’s pure, simple form gives rise to a variety of vibrant surrounding spaces. While form is said to follow function, here it emerges naturally from the interaction of spatial, physical, and natural forces.
△ Flow of light and shadow
This beautiful interplay between art and reality opens the door to a stunning unknown. The unknown is infinite, and we hope children here will always embrace surprising discoveries and the courage to move forward.
02 A Spiritual Sanctuary for Children
△ Aerial view of the buildings
Restarting and Innovating Beyond Tradition
The best way to explore the universe is by looking inward. A cosmic explosion symbolizes re-understanding, restarting, and creating anew—not simply adapting children to a rigid teaching model of 1+1=2 through repetitive arithmetic.
We aim to better integrate design thinking into China’s early childhood education, helping children navigate a complex and diverse future. Education is not a single mode, and schools must break free from traditional patterns to discover new paths. Beyond knowledge transmission, architecture can transport children to new worlds.
The Ideal Small Ladder
Innovation in education design is vital, as it shapes the future of our world.
△ Bird’s-eye view of the entire site
The Pingli County Education Bureau prioritizes education, vigorously promoting basic education and pioneering multidimensional educational concepts. They commissioned Dika Architectural Design Center to design the Pingli Third Kindergarten, aiming to revitalize scattered communities through initial funding and industry introduction. The goal is to provide a better learning environment for local children and introduce new educational opportunities.
Here, architecture becomes a cultural carrier and an engine of growth—a shining beacon within underdeveloped areas.
△ Spacious, flexible teaching areas
Effective design starts with a deep understanding of a place’s history, culture, geography, and local customs. Through direct communication and careful consideration, it became clear that what’s needed here is not just a kindergarten building, but a concept that awakens society’s appreciation for children’s education.
△ Engaging, interactive environments
△ Interactive play experiences
Children, Time, Shadows, and Fields
The building’s exterior defines a dynamic space with streamlined design. Children explore along the undulating ground and ring-shaped layout. Indoor stairs offer quick access to outdoor play areas, while interconnected spaces create a dynamic, infinite loop environment—inviting children to run and play freely.
△ Vibrant outdoor fields inspire exploration and play
△ Architectural exterior view
03 Core of Light and Imagination
△ Construction site
Where Light Meets Shadow, Infinite Possibilities Arise
Looking up at the sky, I felt enveloped by the universe. In that moment, my soul seemed to dissolve, spinning endlessly through eternal time and boundless space. Like the meeting of light and shadow—present everywhere but capable of creating infinite possibilities through intentional interplay.
△ Gallery details
Architecture, air, and light shape the scenery in remarkable ways.
△ Bi-directional view from indoor to outdoor
The corridor forms a self-contained realm—a utopia of time and space.
The desire to blend art with life drives limitless possibilities. We view children as active explorers, minimizing concrete imagery inside the building to create metaphorical, interconnected spaces that awaken their instincts and sense of movement. The design guides their flow, creating diverse spatial experiences and visual connections that interact with public spaces.
Between flowing light and shadow, integrating art into campus life sparks spontaneous curiosity and exploration, allowing childhood’s energy to return to their natural rhythm.
△ Flexible, spacious teaching areas
△ Unlimited expansion of children’s personalities
The world has no boundaries; only by dissolving them can the universe find peace. Human progress begins with small steps toward selflessness and true selfhood. Approaching this essence kindles creativity—breaking mental boundaries is the key to freedom and change, the eternal truths.
Immersive Teaching Experience
We prioritize children, designing a space where they and their teachers can explore, play, live, and learn together. Design and architecture can be philosophical and theoretical pursuits, inspiring children’s innovation and creativity.
The Ideal Small Ladder
Every resource must be tested repeatedly to grow and thrive. By embracing the concept of “not limited to kindergarten,” we leverage design thinking to strengthen innovation and unlock future possibilities. Only by infusing limited spaces with boundless imagination can we offer children infinite opportunities for campus life.
Outdoor spaces full of fun and creativity
04 The Origin of All Things
△ Courtyard garden
A Field of Natural Vitality, Creating Spiritual Breath
The universe inspires awe, offering elements worthy of study and integration. This project seamlessly blends the romantic colors of Pingli architecture, the region’s majestic mountains and rivers, and the vastness of the cosmos.
Children are brought closer to nature, embarking on a journey exploring contrasts—between infinity and finiteness, distance and intimacy, grandeur and closeness. This multi-phase exploration invites the public to discover new dimensions.
△ Fusion Realm – Infinite Sky
The circular light well frames a view of the sky, creating an immersive sensory experience that awakens childhood memories and dreams. Natural wind flows through the space, crafting a lively environment and enabling children to engage with nature’s authentic audio-visual symphony.
Considering children’s favorite activities—spinning, chasing, group play—the dynamic corridor design stimulates emotions and anticipation, making free exploration a joyful part of kindergarten life.
△ Indoor local perspective
△ Sky and ground
The funnel of light
The continuous corridor, running southwest to northeast, connects seemingly separate functional spaces into a cohesive system. Each form responds to the lighting, sightlines, spatial, and other needs of its location. Light and vision energize children as they enter learning areas.
Our aspiration is to preserve the beauty children perceive, delve into their inner consciousness, and pass on the spirit of fearlessness, freedom, and perseverance to new generations.
△ Diverse spatial experiences
Amid overlapping light and shadows, curiosity about the unknown and self-exploration thrives. We hope this kindergarten is not just an educational space but a quiet window into the soul.
05 Beauty and Strength
The flowing dance of light and shadow in space illustrates the relationship between the limited and the infinite.
Theologically, removing or adding any part of infinity still leaves it infinite. Philosophically, infinity relates to space and time.
Outdoor venues that are open, communicative, and inviting
The space’s true vitality comes from its users—primarily children. The large ramp’s varied form and height differences create a three-dimensional rhythm, guiding children through the space. Play devices add rich colors, shapes, and functions, breathing unique life into the campus.
Children are the sprouts of adulthood and future creators, nurturing infinite possibilities through their vibrant growth.
△ Thoughtful scene layout guides movement
Outdoor spaces are designed to encourage teaching, practice, and expansion, with diverse landscape forms and game corners serving as extensions of children’s activities. These areas blend nature and life, encouraging communication, exploration, and creativity in daily play.
Observing children’s behavior reveals that much joy comes from simple physical activity—running, climbing, jumping freely.
06 Insight and Outdoor Practice
Innovation Has No Boundaries
As Conrad said: “Endless, innovation knows no boundaries.” We chose to break free from conventional thinking.
△ Roof garden
Diverse rooftops become creative playgrounds where children can freely express themselves. By studying lighting, ventilation, and landscape views, we established a new campus order—transforming roofs into vibrant spaces for play, socializing, and campus life.
Outdoor water features, inspired by water droplets and the tangible/intangible qualities of water, create interactive ecological play areas. These spaces invite children to engage freely with water, fostering bravery and a deeper connection with nature.
Interweaving patterns and symbolic themes produce functional, adaptive outdoor environments that nurture children’s curiosity and education.
△ Water spatial layout
△ Sports equipment area
△ Children’s shoe changing area
Moving beyond design practice to fundamental principles, we use minimal techniques to express rich emotions and build effective educational spaces without excessive extravagance.
Education should inspire, immersing students in invisible design that fosters fearlessness, freedom, and perseverance. This spirit guides the next generation to uphold values, embrace change, and shine on their journey of discovery.
△ Architectural model
△ Facade model
Through countless trials, from zero to one, from finite to infinite, amidst scrutiny and challenges, we persist. We focus on the task at hand, striving to express life’s complexity with a single idea and the universe with a unified voice. Our goal is to inspire public awareness and influence.
△ Overall building form
When a child steps into Infinity Kindergarten, the melody of life turns to the next page. We hope time freezes at every child’s smile, and that youth always carries confidence and vitality. From this moment, transformation begins and infinite life possibilities unfold.
Project Drawings
△ First floor plan
△ Second floor plan
△ Third floor plan
Project Information
Project Name: Pingli Third Kindergarten
Owner: Pingli County Education Bureau
Area: 4041 square meters
Address: Pingli, Shaanxi
Architectural Design: Deca Architectural Design Center
Interior Design: Deca Architectural Design Center
Landscape Planning: Deca Architectural Design Center
Lead Architect: Wang Junbao
Main Creative Team: Tian Jiabin, Ou Jiyong, Zhang Qi, Tan Huimin, Lu Qingyin, Fu Huiming, Tu Xueliang, Zhang Zhigang, Zhang Ce, Ding Fengqun, Chen Jian, Wang Zinc, Tao Hexin
Photography Team: Leon
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