Kagunomi Nursery School | A Nursery School Building Like a Small Village｜Atelier Mana

In Zushi, Kanagawa Prefecture, where lush green mountain ranges and peaceful residential neighborhoods unfold, we set out to create a nursery school where children could find a place of their own and grow freely. Rather than one large building, we envisioned small houses gathered closely together to form a town. With this landscape in mind, we considered an architecture that would nestle alongside the children’s everyday lives.

The series of pitched roofs creates a familiar and welcoming exterior. Within, a variety of spaces filled with the warmth of wood unfold. There are open spaces with high ceilings, small places by the windows, areas where children can gather with friends, and places where they can spend quiet time alone. By varying the way light enters, the ceiling heights, and the connections between spaces, we created an environment in which children can move freely and discover their own favorite places.

An important aim of the design was to nurture the children’s curiosity while bringing a sense of security and richness to their everyday lives. The scent and texture of wood, sunlight streaming through the windows, and the changing seasons. Small discoveries experienced through the five senses accumulate as everyday memories. We hope that the time spent here will become an original landscape that remains in the children’s hearts forever.

Building Overview

Program: Nursery school
Site area: 358.56 m²
Building area: 182.56 m²
Total floor area: 252.41 m²
Structure: Two-story timber construction
Design: Atelier Mana
Construction: Kikushima Co., Ltd.