Elenion Kindergarten is a school designed for children to learn through play, fostering a sense of community for the many cultural identities which make it, and the city of Nicosia.
The design aims to foster a welcoming environment open to all students from diverse backgrounds. The building form is a gesture of inclusion with a u-shaped addition to the existing listed building. The design also explores both the importance of classroom learning as well as outward-facing learning in natural spaces: outdoor/ garden classrooms. These relationships between indoor and outdoor spaces, the promotion of structured and free play, and the educational role of the courtyard as a hub for free activities aim to simulate an environment of “macrocosm” integrating many “microcosms”—spaces, corners, and “pockets” of smaller scales. These we feel, are important for the development of creativity and learning whilst playing, stimulating curiosity and a sense of intimacy within the school community.
A courtyard for sports and play sits at the heart of the proposal. A series of smaller scale elements, plug into the u-shape to articulate and define ‘characters’ within the composition. An amphitheatre, library, and clock tower become points of reference and orientation, allowing for imagination and wonder.
‘Microcosms’ of learning and play are embedded within the walls, constructing intimate thresholds blurring inside and out.
Type: Architecture
Location: Nicosia, Cyprus
Size: 1205m2
For: NICOSIA SCHOOL BOARD, CYPRUS MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
Status: Design Proposal
Collaborators: DRAFTWORKS ARCHITECTS
With thanks to: AHAD ALMEIDA, CHLOE HUDSON, CHRIS KOKAREV, kleanthis rousos, marilena zachariou, harry varnavas