The Beginnings of Childhood

Having observed a sharp decline in the birth rate in the early 90s, Youji no Shiro – a section under Hibino Sekkei Architecture – found its calling to speciality, that is breathing life into school architecture.  With the low student numbers, existing preschools lacked the vigour and bursts of childlike energy without the integration of innovative design.

It was the same case with this dilapidated kindergarten in the south of Osaka. Once upon a time, the area had flourished in the textile industry but soon became a dull, empty land due to the availability of cheap labour abroad.

That said, Youji no Shiro’s 24 years of experience transformed KM Kindergarten and Nursery instantly — thanks to an unexpected undulating layout that not only encouraged children to explore in terms of movement, but also naturally harmonised the indoor and outdoor spaces seamlessly with a touch of aesthetics.

The playground also included an upward spiral staircase that ran in a complete chase and run loop, enhanced with patches of grass and trees that tremendously increased the children’s physical activity. Moreover, with the intention of familiarising the little ones with their homeland’s heritage in fabrics, small classroom elements i.e. signboards, carpets, wall coverings and games were made of the regional textiles. Indeed, this allowed the children to learn more interactively within a healthy educational environment.