These days, elementary school interior designs are being developed like this: 'A space that becomes a learning resource.' Chuncheon Sindong Elementary School #2.

Part 1: Establishing the project's inception and direction

In Part 2, we will share the design process and its outcomes.

[Key Issues by Floor]

Since the plan was selected through a design competition, the interior space incorporates a variety of innovative changes. An open library spans the areas connecting the 1st to 3rd floors, with other functional spaces diversely arranged throughout.

The interior design of Sindong Elementary School transcends traditional learning-focused spaces. It aims to provide a multi-dimensional environment that stimulates students' senses and fosters creative thinking. The design encourages natural exploration and interaction, turning not just classrooms but the entire school into a dynamic learning ecosystem that supports enriched educational experiences.

Keywords by Floor and Spatial Issues

Considering the spatial characteristics unique to each floor, we extracted relevant keywords and explored various design approaches aligned with those concepts.

The design for this project, themed as a "space that becomes a learning resource," focuses on moving beyond the traditional model of classroom-based instruction. Instead, it emphasizes creating an environment where the space itself supports children's learning in multiple ways.

Children are deeply influenced by what they see and experience physically. With this in mind, each area of the school is designed to naturally provide learning opportunities, ensuring that the more time children spend there, the more enjoyable, educational, and creatively stimulating the experience becomes.

The most critical space in this project was the open library, which connects the circulation route from the 1st-floor lobby to the 3rd floor. It was a challenging element that required significant thought and consideration.

The view of the staircase connecting the 1st-floor lobby to the 2nd floor.

Considering the significant width of the central staircase, a section was divided to create a play area that children can enjoy.

View of the lobby and main entrance from the 2nd floor public stairs

First of all, visual elements were important for the changed space. By actively utilizing geometric patterns, we wanted to create a visually interesting and educationally beneficial environment. Shapes and patterns were placed on the walls, floor, and ceiling to help children naturally accept mathematical concepts. For example, circular sculptures were placed on the lobby wall between the basic square structures of architecture to create a sense of regularity and varying rhythm, and the diagonally tilted square luminous ceiling was repeated to encourage natural learning of symmetry and proportion.

The rules, transformations, rhythm, symmetry and proportions of geometry encourage children to think mathematically every time they walk up or down the stairs. Additionally, the geometric patterns that permeate the space create an environment where children can enjoy playing and learning at the same time.

Shoe cabinet area behind the lobby on the first floor

In addition to geometric patterns, there are designs that take children's creativity and interaction into consideration. In the designed space, we wanted to create an environment where people could not only receive information, but also explore and collaborate on their own. A representative example is the ‘Forest Library’ on the 2nd floor. Dream Seed, floating on the central ceiling, is a structure designed with faintly visible plants and back lighting, deviating from the human scale.

This is a central element that stimulates creativity and imagination through unusual spatial experiences. The library was designed to allow children to share reading experiences and interact without spatial constraints through a reading space using various types of bookshelves, movable chairs, and stairs.

By designing a continuous pattern and free indoor space for the various parts that connect the space, we ultimately hoped that children would develop the habit of experiencing, learning, and exploring in space, rather than simply learning in textbooks or classrooms.

In today's era where learning is leaving the school, wouldn't it be possible for children to find school life much more interesting and grow creatively and proactively if space itself could become a teacher? We proceeded with the design in the hope that the design would stimulate children's continuous learning and serve as an important foundation for preparing for the future. There are more designs (corridors, bathrooms, classrooms, etc.), but we will introduce them in the next blog. Finish wealth. In Part 3, we will introduce the results of the design, focusing on completion photos, and conclude the elementary school project.

The design results continue from #3....