Located in downtown Nanjing, the International Baccalaureate Kindergarten adaptively reuses two heritage buildings beside a large green lawn, transforming them into a high-quality IB learning environment.
1) Heritage Preservation and Adaptive Reuse
The design prioritizes heritage preservation and cultural continuity, maintaining the original exterior and structural integrity while retaining as much of the existing interior character as possible. This preserves the buildings’ cultural identity and connection to place while giving them a new educational purpose.
The scheme accommodates 13 classrooms, a multi-function room, STEM labs, music rooms, an art room, and a carpentry workshop, carefully integrated within the existing fabric. The interior design strategically organizes spaces, circulation, activity zones, and indoor–outdoor connections to support the IB approach to inquiry, exploration, and learning through experience.
2) Healthy and Inspiring Learning Environment
A strong emphasis was placed on creating a healthy, child-centered environment, using non-toxic, low-VOC materials throughout. The design process considered classroom density, spatial relationships, air and acoustic quality, color, ceiling heights, and different types of learning and activity.
Varied learning spaces encourage curiosity, independent exploration, collaboration, creativity, and hands-on discovery. These are key aspects of the IB learning approach. STEM labs, art, music, carpentry, and outdoor areas provide opportunities for children to learn across disciplines and connect classroom learning with real-world experiences.
The result is a healthy, engaging, and flexible environment that supports both learning and wellbeing for students and staff.
Value Created — Breathing New Life into Heritage Through Early Childhood Learning
For the wider community, the project preserves two heritage buildings and their embodied resources, provides a high-quality educational facility for families, keeps Nanjing’s architectural heritage in active use, and brings new daily activity and investment to the downtown area. The green lawn and integrated outdoor spaces further connect the school with its urban surroundings.
By combining IB education, heritage preservation, adaptive reuse, and child-centered design, the project transforms historic buildings into a dynamic learning environment where children can inquire, explore, create, collaborate, and learn through experience, while giving the heritage buildings a new and lasting role in the community.
Project Size
40,000 square feet
Scope of Service
Planning, Interior Design
Client
Education consulting company from Beijing
Status
Concept Design