Year

2012

Location

Qingpu district, Shanghai, PRC

Description

The Montessori School Campus
proposes the conversion of a 4
building apartment complex into
school buildings as well as the
construction of two new buildings: the Administration Building and the school  Cafeteria. It also proposes a new landscape design for the campus. Montessori education is characterized by an emphasis on independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child’s natural psychological development, as well as technological advancements in society.

Our proposal included partial
modification of the original structure of the buildings, changing the windows and the colours so they could be more appropriate for a modern international school. Each of
the existing building was attributed along with a corresponding interior theme:
building A - red, birds theme;
building B - blue, underwater world;
building C - yellow, animal life;
building D - green, vegetal life.
 

The challenge for the interior design planning was to create spaces adapted for both children and adult needs, while responding to the special demands of the Montessori
school programs. The program takes a different approach towards education for children (in this case those between the ages of two and seven) in which they are encouraged to learn by exploring, experimenting, communicating, and through more hands-on activities.