Winner - Bubbletecture Maihara Kindergarten, Shiga, Japan

Recognition that spaces created for children must allow their imaginations to roam free inspired the design of the winning entry – by an architect who is intent on challenging the dominance of the modern box.

Bubbletecture Maihara Kindergarten, in Japan, is a two-story nursery that has been built using flexible timber beams held together by hexagon-shaped metal fittings. The finished design is a continuous wave structure, worlds away from the four walls that normally divide up children’s spaces.

It comprises four nursery areas and a spacious communal play area. ‘Space’ was considered to be key.

Architect Shuhei Endo said: “Open space allows children to play freely. The ambiguity of it actually stimulates their imaginations. They can explore their feelings without restraint.  Architects should not create inflexible spaces that children cannot change.”

This view is shared by Matti Bergstrom, emeritus professor of neurophysiology at the University of Helsinki in Iceland, who believes that too much ordered structure suppresses creativity. He said: “Spaces like the classrooms in many of our schools are not what is required. Why do children like playing outside amongst nature, or seek out the untidy or incomplete, ruined buildings or building sites? Buildings which offer young children the chance for them to re-order, complete or knock them down provide their brains with room to grow and mature.”

The fact that natural wood has been used to build Bubbletecture is also important for Endo. Wood is a traditional material in Japan and he used natural instead of laminated wood throughout, even for the chairs and tables. He said the materials were carefully selected to consider the children’s overall health.

When describing the building, the children themselves have made a connection with nature saying it reminds them of  “pleasant spaces where there are lots of trees”.

Endo added: “The director of the kindergarten told us the children enjoy the building. They make connections with nature and have commented on the interesting shape of the roof and the variety of space. Many of them are reluctant to go home after class. Their cheers are heard right into the evening.”

Click here to download print quality versions (Zip format 16.9 MB)