Fuji Kindergarten
The Fuji Kindergarten in Tokyo, Japan has been designed as a giant playground. Its most striking feature is the oval-shaped roof which is used as a circular, open playground with trees growing from classrooms right through the roof. The classrooms have large glazed sliding doors that can be kept open. This design breaks with the traditional division between the indoors and outdoors and encourages independence, inclusion and socialization.
‘’We want children to grow up to be adults who actively contribute to society. What we value the most is children’s growth. The campus and people, soil, animals, trees, grasses, sandboxes, wells - everything is a tool for children to grow. Children dynamically involve themselves in their surroundings through which they discover "self-growing power" and head toward independence. Our policy is; Kids first – help me do it myself’’
With its 650 children and 65 staff members, Fuji Kindergarten follows the Montessori education model. Teachers and kids can rearrange room settings anytime. The rooms have movable partitions and consist of light wooden boxes and portable shelves which are used for both storage and play.
