ArkA took on this design project to create Montessori Kindergarten 1st Shenzhen within the philosophy of its pedagogy and Montessori roots in Shenzhen, China.

In the high-end project, with the main building facing the Shenzhen sea, the ArkA design team applied some cruise ship details to help safe movements. Small bumps and falls are common as a child pushes physical skills to the limit. This is a normal part of how children learn and develop.

Necessary furniture and bathrooms inside the classrooms were fixed, but we left as much space as possible to organize in a flexible way various activities. Every classroom has a kitchen area made according to kids’ physical proportion. Windows between bathrooms, corridors and classrooms were designed to make easy for teachers to observe the kids, as well as let in more natural light and ventilation. Corridors and connection areas become an open space where kids run around freely and play with others. In public areas, we used curves instead of right-angled lines and built a more children-friendly and safer environment where they can play without risking harming themselves against sharp corners.

Based on the Montessori philosophy and teaching method, the space has very
simple decorations and colour patterns; there is a theory in Montessori’s educational philosophy called “undisturbed learning time”. That is, children have at least three hours of undisturbed learning time, the design ideology of “blank space and minimalism”, which reduces visual pollution and allows children to eliminate external interference and concentrate on learning in a more “Zen” space.

The design of Shenzhen Montessori Kindergarten 1st utilise the space as a third teacher and combined with the Montessori educational concept to create an environment that is amiable to nature which is good for the growth of children, allowing them to learn freely and safely.

Design: ArkA
Photography: Yoan Boselli