International School of the Sacred Heart by Atelier SNS

Overlapping arches divide classrooms in this temporary school in Tokyo by Japanese architects Atelier SNS.

The International School of the Sacred Heart provides a kindergarten on the ground floor and a separate junior school above.

Classrooms, cloakrooms and the staff room are accessed from a central hall on each floor and there are no corridors inside the building.

The curved walls integrate bookshelves, white-boards and furniture for each of the nine classrooms.

The temporary building will be used until a permanent school is constructed in ten years time.

Photography is by Hiroshi Ueda and Seiichi Oosawa.

The following information is from Atelier SNS:

International School of the Sacred Heart Temporary Building

∞ shaped walls to symbolise children’s infinite potential that make up the building

The Kindergarten and Junior School (1st & 2nd grade) temporary building project has been built on a very limited school field. This field had to be used as part of the temporary building and school playground. We were working with limited space.

We had to build a temporary building that is compact and efficient therefore we planned a circular design. As a result, we planned a cluster from where we have a center hall with 7 branches all leading to each individual open classroom.

The walls are designed to be reusable shelves. The shelves are mounted with desks, chairs and storage. This can be transferred to the new completed building in the future.

Classrooms are divided by ∞ shaped walls to symbolise children’s infinite potential.

The entangled arches represent children all over the world holding hands. The meaning of having no walls where the arches cross is to let children know that the world is without borders.

The ∞ shaped walls are used as bookshelves. The walls are well used and the storage is made on the walls which are closed on one side.

There are no hallways and students access to classrooms from the center. Each classroom is color coordinated, so students easily find their classrooms.

The round-shaped hanging ceiling is the air conditioning system covered by wooden louvers.

The entrance to the school curves to welcome the children with open arms.

The approach to the Kindergarten and Junior school is separated by an approach ramp, upper (JS) and the lower level staircase (Kindergarten).

The Kindergarten may also be entered through the ground level.

The extended cantilever flat roof protects the building from the sunlight and rain. Just like the Japanese ‘Engawa’, the mid-term area helps with conserving energy and running cost.

Since this will be used as a temporary building I have designed many parts of the class room to be detached and reusable.The floor consists of one room which is divided by removable walls to separate each class room. The walls are also reusable because they are used as back shelves and storage.

The entangled arches looks as though you are going through a though you are going through a tunnel.

Click above for larger image

At one end of the tunnel, you reach the mirror wall where you can constantly reflect on. An area of reflection.

Click above for larger image

At the other end of the tunnel, you see the future light / sunlight which guides you into the bright future.

Click above for larger image

The desk and chairs are mounted into the wall. This enables the children to use any area along the wall to do their work.

Click above for larger image

Location: Shibuya Ward, Tokyo
Client: International School of the Sacred Heart
Years: 2010
Plot area: 57.212.46 m2
Height: 7.53 m
Floors: 2 above ground
Covered area: 518.28 m2
Total floor area: 759.58m2