Takakura Elementary School

This project is a reconstruction of a partially aging school building. The existing school building was placed around a playground, and a new courtyard was created by adding a continuous extension to the existing school building. By retaining the existing trees in the courtyard, a mature schoolyard landscape was inherited, and the corridors provide a natural environment for the children's activities. The planned site is located a short distance from the busy Miyakojima-Kita Dori street, in a relatively quiet residential area with some small factories. All of the site borders the street, and plantings are provided along the street leading to the school entrance to enrich the community. The school has a pond and a garden, which are well cared for by volunteer residents and contribute to the emotional education of the children. The school will exist for a long period of time, so the design, form, and coloring should blend in with the townscape over time. The exterior walls of the school building are covered with a multi-layered finish with a grayish tone as the base color. The school building, which will be combined with the existing school building to form a large volume, was designed in such a way that its components are segmented to create shadows in the middle and near views so as not to create a feeling of oppression or monotone, and to maintain order in the townscape by harmonizing with the surrounding environment.