Dreamland Kindergarten

Project idea

Dreamland Kindergarten is conceived as a child-centered educational environment where architecture supports early learning through safety, play, and a strong connection to nature. The project explores how spatial organization, human-scale design, and outdoor integration can shape positive physical, cognitive, and social development in young children.

The core idea is to organize the kindergarten around a protected central courtyard, transforming open space into the heart of daily activity. By placing the building mass along the perimeter of the site, the design creates a secure inner world dedicated entirely to children’s movement, play, and exploration, while maintaining clear visual supervision from surrounding classrooms.

The project emphasizes low-rise massing, soft architectural forms, and rhythmic openings to create a welcoming and non-intimidating environment suitable for children. Indoor learning spaces are directly connected to outdoor activity areas, encouraging continuous interaction between education, play, and landscape. More than half of the site is dedicated to green and open spaces, reinforcing nature as an essential learning element rather than a background feature.

Through careful zoning, controlled access, and integrated outdoor facilities, Dreamland Kindergarten demonstrates how architecture can become an active educational tool, support learning, safety, and emotional well-being while fostering curiosity, creativity, and social interaction in early childhood.

Project description

The Dreamland Kindergarten project proposes a comprehensive architectural solution for a nine-class early childhood education facility, addressing functional, spatial, environmental, and safety requirements within a park-oriented site. The project's scope encompasses site planning, building design, landscape integration, and spatial organization, all tailored to meet the specific needs of young children, educators, and support staff.
The project solution focuses on organizing the kindergarten as a low-rise, human-scale building positioned along the site perimeter, allowing the interior of the plot to function as a protected and active learning landscape. This strategy creates a secure central courtyard that serves as the primary outdoor play and interaction space, ensuring continuous visual supervision while maximizing safety and accessibility.
The architectural scope covers the full programmatic requirements of a kindergarten, including classrooms, multifunctional activity spaces, administrative offices, health and isolation rooms, kitchen and service areas, and child-safe vertical circulation. Each space is designed with clear zoning to separate public, semi-public, and service functions, ensuring efficient daily operation and controlled movement within the building.
Landscape design is treated as an integral part of the solution, with more than fifty percent of the site dedicated to green and outdoor activity spaces. These include class-specific outdoor play areas, a running track, water play facilities, and landscaped buffer zones that support physical development, sensory learning, and environmental awareness.
Environmental considerations such as natural daylight, cross-ventilation, and a balanced solid–void relationship are incorporated to enhance comfort and well-being. Overall, the scope of the project solution demonstrates how architectural design can create a safe, engaging, and nature-integrated educational environment that supports holistic early childhood development.

Technical information

Project Title: Dreamland Kindergarten
Project Type: Educational Building, Kindergarten
Project Status: Academic Design Proposal
Competition: 11th INSPIRELI AWARDS

Site & Planning Data
Site Area: 9,630 m²
Building Type: Low-rise institutional building
Number of Floors: 2–3 storeys
Building Height: 10 m
Plot Ratio (FAR): 0.42
Coverage Rate: 24.72%
Greening Area: 2,927 m² (≈ 50% of site)

Built Area
Total Floor Area: 4,030 m²
Ground Floor Area: 2,380 m²
Second Floor Area: 1,650 m²
Functional Program
Number of Classes: 9
Class Capacity: 12–15 children per classroom
Classroom Area: 130 m² per unit

Main Spaces Include:
Classrooms and activity areas
Multifunctional hall (200 m²)
Administrative offices and meeting rooms
Teachers’ duty room
Health observation and isolation rooms
Kitchen and service facilities
Storage and technical rooms
Child-safe staircases and circulation

Outdoor Facilities
Outdoor Activity Area (per class): 60 m²
Running Track Area: 565 m²
Paddling Pool: 200 m²
Sand pit, play equipment, wash basins, and landscape play zones

Access & Circulation
Main Entrance: For children, parents, and staff
Secondary Entrance: Service access connected to kitchen

Parking:
6 car parking spaces
1 service parking space
Design & Environmental Considerations
Child-friendly scale and proportions
Central courtyard for supervision and safety
Natural daylight and cross-ventilation
Clear functional zoning and controlled circulation
Strong indoor–outdoor spatial relationship

Documentation

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