The ‘One School’ design concept aims to foster diverse, interactive educational environments for children aged 3 to 18. Yokohama International School is historically significant as the second school worldwide to include “international” in its name. Established in 1924, it operates a co-educational system and serves approximately 750 students from 54 countries, with more than 120 faculty and staff members. The school offers education from preschool through 12th grade.
The original school building is situated in the prestigious Yamanote Historic District, near Port View Park in Yokohama’s central area. However, the school’s facilities were previously scattered across various residential neighborhoods, unable to accommodate the growing student body. To address this, the school board purchased new land in a nearby pastoral area and planned a new campus to meet increasing demand.
The design for the new campus was commissioned to the renowned Kengo Kuma architectural firm, whose proposal was selected among numerous submissions. Dacheng Construction subsequently won the contract for detailed design and construction.
The new campus consolidates all school facilities into a single location, enabling students of all ages, teachers, and parents to interact within the same environment. Designed as a “one school” complex, it features both indoor and outdoor educational spaces that support the diverse exploratory learning approaches of the International Baccalaureate program, fostering a global perspective for lifelong learners.
The distinctive exterior is marked by wooden cladding that embodies the school’s new logo. The design features a four-sloped roof, expansive eaves, a connecting bridge between two buildings, and wooden panels that are randomly segmented and slightly angled. These elements allow the campus to blend harmoniously with the surrounding residential neighborhood while unifying previously dispersed facilities.
The external wooden panels are crafted from 15mm-thick cedar wood treated for corrosion resistance and termite protection. Painted and affixed to the steel frame of the ALC exterior walls, they display dynamic visual effects depending on sunlight angles.
The school features various comfort zones designed to inspire freedom in learning. Shared spaces, such as corridors outside classrooms, are designed as spacious “open hubs,” connecting classrooms to facilitate flexible teaching methods. These areas support group collaboration, self-directed learning, and other daily activities, offering students versatile spaces to meet their needs comfortably.
The North Tower Center features a bright atrium centered around an iconic grand staircase called the “Water Lily Leaf.” This staircase includes a library bookshelf that extends along the stairs to the second floor, offering students a unique space to read or study freely.
Besides its function as a circulation element, the “Water Lily Leaf” serves as a versatile school venue. It can host lectures, art performances, student presentations, and acts as a play area during breaks.
Wood is extensively utilized throughout the campus to create a warm and inviting atmosphere that stimulates creativity. Both exterior and interior spaces feature wooden elements, including cedar wood panels, decks, ceilings with wooden slats in the library, and interior larch walls, all contributing to a cozy and inspiring environment.
Project Information
△ Base schematic diagram
△ Plan view
△ Plan view
△ Elevation drawing
△ Section diagram
△ Sectional Detail Diagram
Project Details
Architects: Kengo Kuma Architecture Urban Design Firm, Dacheng Construction
Site Area: 14,865 m²
Completion Year: 2021
Photographer: Masaki Hamada (kkpo)
Manufacturers: ABE KOGYO, Showa Yotal, Toto
Kengo Kuma Architecture Urban Design Firm Team: Kengo Kuma, Kazuyo Nishida, Rintaro Yoshida, Byunghwa Kim, Miguel Rebelo Souza, Shiho Yoo
Dacheng Construction Design Team: Hideto Koshiishi, Kota Santo, Yoshiyuki Kawai, Yuko Matsuura, Mayuko Okada, Junji Kubo, Morihisa Takashima, Yumiko Yamashita
Dacheng Construction Structural Engineers: Kohei Shimamura, Yumiko Yamazaki
Dacheng Construction Mechanical, Electrical, and Piping Engineers: Jun Takagi, Hirokazu Ozawa, Shunsuke Irie, Yuya Kotera
Location: Yokohama, Japan
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