친환경 유치원_ vo trong nghia spirals farming kindergarten in vietnam

vo trong nghia spirals farming kindergarten in vietnam
photo by hiroyuki oki
all images courtesy of vo trong nghia architects

in dongnai, vietnam, vo trong nghia architects has completed the construction of ‘farming kindergarten’, a large pre-school designed to accommodate up to 500 local children. the project is envisioned as a model of sustainability set within the tropical climate, allowing the school’s young inhabitants to understand the importance of sustainable education and design. located next to a shoe factory, the building is conceived as a continuous green roof that contains beneath it all of the site’s different programs.

a fully accessible green roof drawn in a triple-ring-shape creates three courtyards enclosed by the looping structure, providing safe and secure playgrounds for the kindergarten’s occupants. the different levels and gradients created by the building’s spiral form offer a series of distinct outdoor learning environments, where children are able to forge a close relationship with the natural world.

energy saving systems have been integrated and applied across the design, with concrete louvers used for shading and recycled materials and water incorporated throughout. consequently, the school is operated without air conditioning in the classrooms despite being located in a harsh tropical climate. working with a relatively small budget, low-tech construction methods have been utilized and combined with locally sourced materials to reduce environmental impact.