BIBA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RENOVATION
VANKE EMERALD PARK EARLY YEARS CENTER
As children grow, we believe the environment quietly teaches alongside caregivers and teachers. As a key facility within a newly developed residential community, Vanke Emerald Park Early Years Center goes beyond basic childcare. It is designed from a child’s point of view, creating a place that truly belongs to children in scale, in how it feels, and in how it supports everyday movement and play.
Inspired by the idea of a micro-city, the design translates architectural language in adult world into playful spaces children can understand and take part in. All furniture and built-in elements are calibrated to children’s ergonomics. Low seating, child-height washbasins, circular wall niches, crawl-through openings, and round-edged furniture respond to young children’s need for closeness while encouraging exploration and social interaction. These features do more than serve a function; they become prompts for imagination and play.
LOCATION Beijing, China
AREA 3360 m²
STATUS Completed
CLIENT
Beijing Changye Real Estate Development Co., Ltd.
YEAR 2021
PROGRAMS
Educational, Architecture, Interior, Landscape Design
Material choices return to nature and honesty. Natural wood, soft textiles, and safe, odor-free resilient flooring form the foundation of the interior. Wood grain brings warmth and texture, while the resilient floor supports running and jumping. Distinct color cues at classroom entrances and the small performance areas help children quickly recognize their own spaces, while setting a light, orderly visual rhythm that feels calm yet inviting.
For children, light and sound shape the sense of comfort and trust within a space. Daylight is brought in as much as possible, allowing the interior to shift gently with the time of day. Artificial lighting uses soft uplight and downlight to avoid glare and create an even, comfortable glow. Writable wall surfaces encourage free expression. Acoustic ceiling materials are maximized to reduce noise. These seemingly invisible measures quietly build a reliable sense of protection.
CHIEF DESIGNER
Xiaoyi Ma
DESIGN TEAM
Pengfei Chen, Chaoyi Meng, Jiajia Wang, Yan Xia, Xuejiao Zhou, Yang Ming