HGAA’s Semi-Permanent Green Preschool

Institutional, Online Exclusive Feature / 2021

HGAA’s Semi-Permanent Green Preschool

October 22, 2021

Montessori is an educational method originating in Europe in the early 20th century, and has been developing in Vietnam in recent years. This method respects the independence of children, creating an environment for them to explore and feel the world through their own senses. For this Montessori-oriented preschool, HGAA wanted to create a garden as a natural space for children—a classroom amongst the trees and flowers.

The construction site is located in a residential area in Ha Long City, Quang Ninh, one of the fastest growing cities in the country. The land, initially used by surrounding households to grow vegetables, had inspired the designers to create a garden not only for children, but also for the local community. Because the plot is only leased for five to 10 years, the design team wanted to find a simple construction structure that can be quickly installed, has little impact on the existing land and can be easily relocated to another site when needed.

For this, they designed a structure in two blocks for the classes, consisting of a trellis system made out of steel frames and wire mesh. These two blocks are surrounded by gardens, connected through stairs and overhead walkways that form a continuous circulation loop in the garden. The various heights allow children to interact with the plants and care for the fruit vines, seasonal vegetables and flowers.

Although the land area is only about 600 square metres, the design team and the client were determined to dedicate more than half of the land to the garden and create a learning space close to nature. This resulted in the advantages of a comfortably cool microclimate in the heart of the humid bay city; a quiet atmosphere for the classrooms; and tranquil views of greenery for all the classrooms.


PROJECT DATA

Project Name   
My Montessori Garden
Location            
Hồng Hải, Hạ Long City, Quảng Ninh, Vietnam
Completion Date
December 2018
Site Area           
600 square metres
Gross Floor Area            
340 square metres
Building Height
6 metres
Architecture Firm
HGAA
Principal Architect
Nguyen Van Thu
Images/Photos
Duc Nguyen


Read more Education projects below:

To read the complete article, get your hardcopy at our online shop/newsstands/major bookstores; subscribe to FuturArc or download the FuturArc App to read the issues.