don’t look at me, don’t look at me:
BAU436 Nanjing Jiangning Demonstration Kindergarten

don’t look at me, don’t look at me

introduction
This project is located within a typical commercial environment, a built fabric randomly expressing the often contradictory commercial forces of individuality, lowest price, and minimal maintenance. In this overexcited yet underwhelming environment, BAU suggested that a highly integrated minimal expression that explored a sophisticated articulation of a singular element would in fact become the landmark in a sea of “look at me, look at me” architecture.

simple geometry, complex spaces
Primary geometry was selected to create strong, clear and identifiable elements for the children to perceive, engage with, and understand. The 750 children are located in two curved classrooms buildings, each of which are three floors in height. The third curved building, which is focused in the opposite direction on the site, houses staff and shared facilities such as the large auditorium. Each of these curved buildings form a highly positive and focused concave courtyard space. Beyond their inferred boundaries the two classroom courts are linked to allow the generally focused outdoor space to become one larger continuous space.

On the convex side of these curved classroom buildings, a simple two-storey high communal space includes the main public entrance to the kindergarten and the entrances to each of the curved classroom buildings. This communal space also provides indoor space where children of different ages can play together. On the classroom side sit convex walls of eh classrooms, on the street side sits another series of convex curves that are the remains of positive outdoor spaces that have been cutout of its long public façade.