Kharazm Kindergarten

Fall 2020

This project embraces its natural context by preserving and integrating the existing trees on site. Thoughtfully designed in response to the surrounding park and pedestrian circulation, every element is tailored to meet regulations for a safe and child-friendly environment.

Open Yet Protected

A building that lets the outside in, without letting everything out.

Interior Programming

These functions are housed within connected cubes that feel unified rather than separate. Starting from the public entrance, visitors move through the courtyard into the children’s area, passing the changing rooms before reaching flexible classrooms and then the adjacent library. The layout creates a smooth, intuitive path guiding users through the building’s story.

Creative Design Approach

Given that this structure is located in a park, a mutual
relationship between individuals outside and children inside is critical.
Here, arc windows operate as frames, catching the movement of children and their actions as they engage in various activities. On one of the facades, there is a glass-enclosed staircase, creating a fresh
experience both for outsiders and children.

Creative Design Approach

There are circular surfaces beneath and above the
buildings that provide areas with a variety of purposes,
such as a subterranean pathway and an arc seating place with a parallel shade above. To improve the space quality, this pathway restricts entry while maintaining an eye connection to the park outside. The above-mentioned surfaces help to connect the buildings while also shaping the private yards within.

At each end of the glass corridor, two balconies with transparent facades create the feeling of being immersed in a vast garden, surrounded by the park’s trees. Large windows in the primary activity rooms are designed to maximize children's connection to nature while inviting visual interaction with park visitors. By minimizing solid structural barriers, the building maintains openness and blends seamlessly into its natural surroundings.

The underground pathway is designed as a mysterious, curiosity-sparking space for children. Though initially perceived as dark, light filters through the sandblasted glass floors above, casting dynamic shadows of people passing overhead and creating a playful, illuminated experience below. The facade also features an external staircase linking the library to a second-level resting area, inviting children to interact with the outdoor environment as they transition between spaces.

Kharazm Park, tehran

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