tezuka architects forms series of round structures for nursery in japan

tokyo based practice, tezuka architects, has designed the ‘muku nursery school’ in japan‘s fuji city. winner of the WAF 2018 ‘school-completed buildings’ category, the project is created as a sequence of round timber structures, which together form the entire program of the scheme.

all images © fototeca – kida katsuhisa

from above, the building appears as a series of rising bubbles or as an array of variously sized parasols on the beach. each floor plan is designed by the architect without any internal walls and is home to one particular function. the geometry of the circles, or ‘bubbles’, evokes a sense of infinity and comfort that is perfectly suited to the nursery school as children can enjoy the endless circular movement of the space.

the circular plan has been employed by tezuka architects as it provides a number of advantages. firstly, the shape of the rooms allows more flexibility of use and secondly, the space boasts excellent visibility from a 360 degree view – which is of course an important requirement of a kindergarten and nursery school. in the external landscaped area there is also a round pool of water, only 30cm deep, which the children can cross.

the timber structure of the single-storey volumes is exposed throughout the space, resulting in an honest architectural expression. the use of wood also gives the rooms a warm and inviting atmosphere. the roof trusses are built to create a deep overhang which provides a sheltered area and shading from the sun. the timber posts which support the roof also give an impression of a series of trees and their canopies. overall, the circular design by tezuka architects considers how children’s development can benefit most from a space, and they have created the ‘muku nursery’ in this light.