KO Kindergarten and Nursery in Matsuyama, Japan

Learning to play

published in sb 1 2020

The meaning of the Latin phrase “Mens sana in corpore sano” (usually translated as “a healthy mind in a healthy body”) has never been more important than in present-day society. Early childhood is the best time to encourage to an active lifestyle. The activity zone at KO Kindergarten and Nursery – invented by the architects at HIBINOSEKKEI, together with Youji no Shiro and KIDS DESIGN LABO – is based on the concept of “creating health by playing”.

Matsuyama is the largest city on the island of Shikoku and the capital of Ehime Prefecture. KO Kindergarten and Nursery has been built on the same spot as the former but rundown building. Traffic has increased a lot in the streets of the capital. Even in early childhood children are taken by car or have to take the bus to the kindergarten. They have little chance to walk and gain a little exercise in their daily lives. Back at home, children tend to play more with electronic devices rather than making up their own games in a natural environment, which offers a multitude of opportunities. For these reasons, KO Kindergarten and Nursery was rebuilt with the concept of “creating health by playing”.