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And the shortlist for the 2022 WAN Awards Education - Nursery, primary and secondary schools category is...

Seven entries are shortlisted in the Education - Nursery, primary and secondary schools category of the 2022 WAN Awards

by Séan Thurgood 17 August 2022 2022

Mount Si High School by NAC Architecture

Located in the flood-prone Snoqualmie River valley, Mount Si High School is a beacon of resilience.

The physically elevated campus creates a wealth of opportunities – educationally and experientially – in a future-oriented learning environment. Seven connected school buildings are composed on a created ground plane lifted above the native grade on piers so that flood waters flow unobstructed, neither damaging the buildings nor interrupting academic functions. Rather than employ a large scale, centralized regional high school typology, the learning environments are organized as small student-centric learning communities with multiple academic and social nodes.

Kindergarten of Museum Forest by Yunchao Xu/Atelier Apeiron/SZAD

Rather than following the traditional matrix layout, we developed a new geometric relationship between the new building and the site, by organizing a series of axis in different directions. It is the most efficient way for classrooms to avoid the influence from the residentials and the main road. The gaps among the education blocks give the smooth flow to the entire campus. The new together with the old building enclose a large oval courtyard to hold various group events.

Each classroom is surrounded by nature. The space without names in-between classrooms may be small or big, narrow or wide, up or down. Combined with a generative curriculum, these different shapes will be redefined and changed by children and teachers in everyday life. More than just a constant playground, the campus is a living community built by everyone in the kindergarten.

Lotus Terrace Kindergarten by Yunchao Xu/Atelier Apeiron/SZAD

The site is located on an irregular plot in Lotus Village, facing the main road in the east and surrounded by high-density residential buildings on the other three sides.

The main building consists of classroom units on the south side and service units on the north side. In the middle is a visually transparent multifunctional public space, as the main street of the community. On the ground floor, the central gallery, concert hall, 30-meter running track, and 25-meter water tank with sandpit are connected into an open teaching space of Art, Music, PE and Handcraft classes. The central hall on the second and third floors is a flowing space full of sunlight and natural wind. There are four view frame spaces facing the surrounding green landscape, which serve as the extension space of classrooms.

OM Nursery by HIBINOSEKKEI, Inc.

The company operates several welfare facilities rooted in the local community, including a former preschool established in 1971. The project is being re-launched with the concept of developing exercise habits while utilising the childcare activities that have been developed to date.

A wide avenue in the center of the school building, with the nursery, dining and play areas located close together. The pathway allows sight lines from one end to the other, encouraging children to run and develop an interest in their own playgrounds. The playgrounds also consciously incorporate three-dimensional play that cannot be experienced in everyday life, to nurture a sense of equilibrium, the ability to grasp, a spirit of challenge and creativity. (Net play equipment, slides, terraced toilets, etc.)

Hangzhou Olympic Sports Experimental Primary School & Kindergarten by UAD

Many adverse factors are resolved by the unique spatial layout. On the premise of fulfilling basic functions, the design introduces a new spatial dimension to create a “dream stage” where children can grow up happily.

Steel structure system and open curtain wall system are applied to above-ground buildings and external walls, respectively. Besides, professional software was used to analyze noise, sunshine, and wind environment and assist the design work, so as to ensure that the interference on the main teaching area from the west viaduct is reduced by the distinctive building form, teaching rooms and outdoor activity platform bring in sufficient sunlight, there’s no obvious eddy area on the site, and the air circulation is smooth. In addition, every corner of the campus embraces enough daylight and sun exposure, as well as good ventilation, thus achieving the design goal of creating a healthy campus.

SCA Nursery by HIBINOSEKKEI, Inc.

It is the first building in Tokyo to provide comprehensive support, consisting of child development support, nursery, pediatric medical care, and consultation support. Child development support is generally set up separately from nurseries, and children attending nurseries do not have the opportunity to learn about disabilities.

Based on this issue, we aimed to nurture diverse sensibilities in children regardless of their disabilities by creating an inclusive environment where they can meet and relate to a diverse range of people at an early age.

Using the acorns of the konara oak tree in the courtyard as a motif, the canopies and roofs are covered with copper shingles, forming an exterior that is rounded and overlapping in a variety of shapes. The design also gives a sense of diversity from the exterior.

The Hamlin School by Mark Cavagnero Associates

Constructed during three different eras, the three buildings were disconnected from one another and not designed to support the school’s modern pedagogy. A 40 ft high retaining wall in the center of the campus created a barrier between the middle school and the lower school, fundamentally dividing the campus. Each building had a separate elevator and stairs obscuring the connections between them. The gymnasium on the top floor was undersized in every direction and was shared with the performing arts department, compromising both the athletics and arts programs.

The renovation and expansion project clarified the circulation to unify the campus. Work was concentrated in the interior of the site to minimize impact to the stunning bay views from the campus and neighboring residences. The resulting approach stacks a large double-height gymnasium above a multipurpose arts space deep in the center of the site, allowing the re-envisioned classrooms to be consolidated on the north side of the building with large windows, soft light, and views.


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