Revolutionizing Nursery Design: The Daruma International Project

Moriyuki Ochiai Architects' Award-Winning Design Fosters Creativity and Sensitivity in Children

The Daruma International project, designed by Moriyuki Ochiai Architects, is a nursery school that breaks away from traditional design norms. Inspired by nature's most beautiful assets, the architects aimed to create a space that promotes a variety of uses and encourages children to come up with their own games, much like they would in nature.

What sets the Daruma International project apart is its unique approach to room design. Each room features a colorful space with a theme that communicates the energy of nature. For example, the common hall is a "lake room", the 1-year-olds’ room a "cherry blossom room", the 2-year-olds’ a "stratum room", the 3-year-olds’ a "flower room", the 4-year-olds’ a "sky room", and the 5-year-olds’ a "forest room". This vibrant palette symbolizes natural phenomena, allowing children to experience color in their daily lives and immerse themselves in it.

Furthermore, the common hall is a special multiple-purpose room where organically-shaped mirrors dot the entire ceiling like so many lakes, creating a refreshing space that expresses delicate changes in natural light depending on the season and the time of day. This becomes an extension of the natural landscape where the reflected images spread gently, thus making the children fully experience the changing seasons, and creating an environment that enhances the marvels of nature and the enjoyment of daily activities.

The project was realized in Kanagawa, Japan, covering a space of 440sqm. The design team, which included Moriyuki Ochiai, Kirthi Balakrishnan, Jillian Lei, and Amit Arunabh, faced the challenge of embedding elements taken from the natural scenery into the rooms. Their aim was to create a space where children's sensibilities could be infinitely expanded, the individuality of each child could be brought out, and their creativity could be aroused.

The Daruma International project has been recognized for its innovative design, winning the Silver A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2021. This prestigious award is given to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation.

In conclusion, the Daruma International project by Moriyuki Ochiai Architects is a testament to the power of innovative design in shaping the learning environment for children. By creating a space that encourages interaction and creativity, the architects have set a new standard for nursery design, proving that architecture can play a significant role in fostering the development of children's creativity and sensitivity.