Peninsula Jingshan Kindergarten

CHAPTER 1 - THE REAL ADVENTURE

Once in south China's Shenzhen, Peninsula Education Group (Peninsula) came forward with a visionary idea of creating a new learning space to help foster the next generation.

Peninsula felt the necessity to build a magical place that belongs to children themselves. They believed that a novel and free environment is essential for children to learn new things actively and develop their social skills.

There were two identical old apartment towers with 4 floors, and each tower was immersed in Shenzhen’s tropical nature with ample space for a playground between the two buildings.

Peninsula had decided to name the place Peninsula Jingshan Kindergarten, and that was when the real adventure started.

Under the direction of Italian architect Michele Lanari, ArkA’s team took on the proposal to create a new education facility for children in the residential complex.

ArkA designers restructured the interior space, transforming each of the old apartments into a classroom and adapting the functions of a house to a single space. The apartments had many rooms.

It aimed to create a cozy home environment where children feel at ease and comfortable to avoid feeling the shocking jump from home to classroom.

CHAPTER 3 - PERFECT BALANCE

The new design took into full consideration the teachers' needs to guide the children easily and practically.

Internally, aligned arches were installed to reduce obstacles and ensure freedom of children’s’ movement, meanwhile solving the problem of lack of lighting and creating a clear bright space.

The texture of natural materials like wood could stimulate children's sense of touch, and white paint on all walls generated comfortable ambience.

By upgrading detailed components, the interior design intended, based on the usual sober style of schools, to build a dreamy palace for children.

CHAPTER 4 - WHALE MOUNTAIN PALACE

A new facade was installed on the structure of each building with a second layer of aluminum panels in a red brick hue, serving as shelter solution to improve the buildings’ isolation and maintenance, which protects them from Shenzhen’s humidity and high temperatures.

Playgrounds were planned in terraces and gardens to enhance the magic appeal in a learning environment and to bring the children closer to nature.

The Peninsula Jingshan Kindergarten commits itself to accompany China’s new generations in their learning and growing up, doing its best to contribute to their happiness and health.