Children's Forest. Kindergarten floating gently in the woods

On a wooded hill at the foot of Mount Fuji, Japan, stands the kindergarten Children's Forest. Inspired by the impressions of the first site visit, the project captures the sun filtering through the branches of the Hinoki trees with its play of light and shadows

An architecture with unique shapes recreates the filtering of sunlight through the branches

The work of the Japanese studio Takashige Yamashita Office is characterized by architectural projects with organic and unconventional shapes. Even the Children's Forest, whose official name is Takane-no-Mori Nursery School, features architecture with unique shapes and integrates with its natural environment. Dedicated to children from 0 to 5 years old, the nursery school aims to be a sunny clearing in the forest that with its distinctive roof recreates the typical filtering of sunlight through the branches

Cubic units host various functions independently

The school is organized in independent cubic units that host various functions: rooms for children divided into groups based on age, the teachers' room, the temporary care room, etc. Each unit is oriented to best capture the surrounding landscape. At the central point of the school, surrounded by the volumes of the various classrooms, a multipurpose room that can accommodate up to 150 people is easily accessible to all and available for games and events

An internal landscape rich in sensory stimuli

Under the wide canopy, the volumes of the school are connected through ramps and intermediate spaces: thanks to the skylights and voids created by the shape of the roof and the dynamic architecture of the classrooms, an internal landscape rich in sensory stimuli is created where children can play, crawl, or climb in safe conditions even in bad weather. The empty spaces created by the architecture allow natural light and the greenery of the forest to flow into the internal space

Natural atmosphere to bring balance and calm

The Children's Forest, located on hilly and sloping terrain, is surrounded by a vast grassy garden, directly connected to the classrooms of children aged 2 to 5. Here, a large tree, 8 meters tall, welcomes the children under its gentle branches, after running up the hill and adventuring through the small tunnel where they can crawl. The natural atmosphere embraces the school, balancing the children's environment with its green calmness

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Takashige Yamashita Office

3-25-21-403, Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-0002, JAPAN