Unite d’ Habitation nursery

Unite d’ Habitation nursery // Le Corbusier

Year of completion: 1952

Commonly known as Le Corbusier’s kindergarten, the innovative design at that time is to accommodate living spaces, as well as the public, communal places. The roof, where the kindergarten is located, was the object of observation and subsequent graphic elaboration.

It is interesting to note how every child, though with a different sensibility and interest, has perceived and subsequently represented the building’s most significant elements: the large rectangular mass, the pattern of the facade, the liveliness of the balcony colours, the disposition of the service floor plan, the accentuated tapering of the basement pilotis (often schematised as triangles), the spiral of the security staircase, the free articulation of the roof, the reversed cones shape of the chimney and finally, the typical hills of Marseilles which the children see on the horizon as they play on the roof of the building.

Realizing that the concept of the kindergarten was soon became the necessity of everyday life. It was then reflected in urban planning in socialist states, which took a lively interest in childcare and preschool education. Proposing a kindergarten in a new housing scheme is the best option as it has become a necessity even on a high-rise building.

Figure 3.28 Le Corbusier’s kindergarten, Domus 565, December 1976

Ferrari, G. (2018) Le Corbusier’s kindergarten and other educational experiments in the 1970s. https:// www.domusweb.it/en/events/istanbul-designbiennial/2018/09/10/le-corbusiers-kindergartenand-other-educational-experiments-in-the-1970s. html (Accessed: 25 November 2019)

Yorkville North Kindergarten // IDO

Year of completion: 2018

A public kindergarten provides a place to an open teaching concept of “love and fun” for residential community as a supportive facility. Offering different activities and learning for the children such as personality development, getting children to embrace the nature by doing farming as a concept of growing up in a ‘greenhouse’.

The separation for unit blocks formed a “neighbourly relationship” and the each of the classrooms were design as a “home” for children where they can build a sense of belonging. The use of material in this project is considered carefully so that each block is more custom-made and recognizable.

Playful Space Arrangement: Stimulating Kids to Explore (Han, 2019)

Not only meeting the basic teaching needs such as classroom, this project also focuses on outdoor educational activities. Open spaces around the building encouraging them to spend more time outdoors. For instance, they make us of the second floor creating a small stage and became a ‘visual focus’ of the whole building. There is also a central courtyard integrated - a large staircase-shaped bleacher and activity areas are located. Children are able to enjoy having fun in a tree house, a slide and a sloped climbing area.