Fuji Kindergarten

Tezuka Architects

Tezuka Architects | 1
Takaharu + Yui Tezuka Architects - Biography
TAKAHARU TEZUKA
Architect / President of Tezuka Architects / Professor of Tokyo
City University
1964 Born in Tokyo, Japan
1987 B. Arch., Musashi Institute of Technology
1990 M. Arch., University of Pennsylvania
1990-1994 Richard Rogers Partnership Ltd.
1994 Founded Tezuka Architects with Yui Tezuka
1996-2008 Associate Professor, Musahi Institute of Technology
2009- Professor, Tokyo City University
YUI TEZUKA
Architect / President of Tezuka Architects
1969 Born in Kanagawa, Japan
1992 B.Arch., Musashi Institute of Technology
1992-1993 The Bartlett School of Architecture, University
College of London
1994 Founded Tezuka Architects with Takaharu Tezuka
1999- Visiting Faculty, Toyo University
2001- Visiting Faculty, Tokai University
AWARDS
The Best of All, OECD/CELE 4th Compendium of Exemplary
Educational Facilities (2011, Fuji Kindergarten)
Prize of Architectural Institute of Japan for Design (2008, Fuji
Kindergarten)
Japan Institute of Architects Award (2008, Fuji Kindergarten)
(2015, Sora no Mori Clinic)
AR Award 2004, the Architectural Review (Echigo-
Matsunoyama Museum of Natural Science)
Good Design Gold Prize (1997, Soejima Hospital) (2013, Asahi
Kindergarten)
EXHIBITIONS
2004 Venice Biennale of Architecture
2013 Carnegie International
PUBLISHING
Tezuka Architects: The Yellow Book, Edited by Thomas
Sherman & Greg Logan, Jovis, 2016
Takaharu + Yui Tezuka Architecture Catalogue 1-3. TOTO
Takaharu + Yui Tezuka NOSTALGIC FUTURE ERINNERTE ZUKUNFT.
Edited by Paul Andreas and Peter Cachola Schmal. Berlin:
Die Deutsche Bibliothek, 2009.
TED.com Takaharu Tezuka: “The best kindergarten you’ve
ever seen”
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Fuji Kindergarten – project description
Children love running in circles. When we brought our kids to
the original kindergarten site, they kept making circles around
the chairs. It was as if they had an instinctive need to do this,
like a puppy that tries to bite its own tail by running in circles.
So we designed Fuji Kindergarten to also be in the form of a
circle so that the children could keep running, never knowing
when to stop. The principal also used to make rounds through
each of the buildings, even though the existing kindergarten
was not connected in a loop. We liked that situation so we
made Fuji Kindergarten into a circular shape for him, so that
he too never knows when to stop!
The key to Fuji Kindergarten is spaces being open
environments. Between April and November, the sliding
doors are completely open. The distinction between where
outside stops and inside starts doesn’t apply. There are no
walls between spaces and therefore no boundaries. There
are only boxes that are used as furniture to indicate areas.
The principal believes that when you place children in a cage
they will try to establish a social hierarchy, and the outcasts
get segregated; but when you have no boundaries, there is
no need to create such hierarchies.
Fuji Kindergarten currently accepts more than 30 children
affected by autism, among many of the other children. The
principal has told us that these 30 children do not show obvious
signs of autism when they are in the building. When some
children have had a difficult time in other kindergartens, they
transferred to Fuji Kindergarten and behaved no differently
to other children. Typical building regulations say that you
need to have a box in a classroom where an autistic child
can hide. But inside a box they cannot hear any noise, and
this is when symptoms begin to show.
A scientist we know has found that this has to do with
background noise. When he provides white noise at a
frequency of more than 20 kilohertz, the children no longer
show symptoms. This is the kind of background noise that
happens naturally at Fuji Kindergarten.
Every childcare room in Fuji Kindergarten is filled with
background noise. While one class is learning basic
mathematics, another class is playing piano nearby. The
children are selecting information from this noise. One time
the kindergarten was featured on a television program. The
film crew told me that they were very surprised to find that the
children were capable of ignoring the television camera and
continued listening to the teacher. It is natural to be exposed
to high frequency background noise. It is not natural to be
in complete silence. I suspect that the design of modern,
quiet school buildings could be the cause of many autistic
symptoms in children.
Our scheme for Fuji Kindergarten is the “end of an era”.
Modern conveniences have deprived children of basic
sensation, and the treasures once found in this era have
now been abandoned. What we want to teach through
this building is “common sense”. Common sense comprises
those values of human society that are unchanging, even
across eras. We want the children raised here to grow into
people who do not exclude anything or anyone. We think
Fuji Kindergarten will be unchanged even after fifty years
have passed.
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Fuji Kindergarten – media statement

Fuji Kindergarten is a large, one-story, oval-shaped

kindergarten, well known to accommodate over 600
children freely running around the oval-shaped roof. All of
architectural spaces were designed to be at the scale of a
child, so there is an extremely close relationship between the
floor level and rooftop level. Three pre-existing Zelkova trees
shoot through the architecture and are splendid climbing
points for children on the roof. There is not a single piece of
play equipment on the roof. The rooftop itself becomes the
play equipment. Even children who don’t usually run will most
certainly race around this roof.

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Fuji Kindergarten – plans

Existing Building

既存園舎 既存園舎

Elevator

Sky Light エレベータホール

Nursery Room
(2 rooms) トップ

Staff Room･ 保育室(2室) 保育室(2室)

Infirmary Wash Basin
Gate
職員室･保健室 保育室内洗面 職員室･保健室 保育室内洗面
正門 正門
External Faucet + Wet Area Gargoyle
Gargoyle Basin
Nursery Room
(5 rooms)
外部水場 外部水場 ガーゴイル
ガーゴイル水受け 保育室(5室） ガーゴイル水受け 保育室(5室）
Flagpole

External Faucet + 旗竿 旗竿
Wet Area
Nursery Room
(3 rooms) Mound 外部水場 外部水場
External Faucet +
保育室(3室)
Wet Area 96
70 保育室(3室)
Slide 築山 築山

外部水場 96 外部水場 96
70
70
10 滑り台 滑り台
84

0 0
41 841
8

South Nursery Room

Gate (6 rooms)

保育室(6室) 保育室(6室)
南門 南門

Existing Building Existing Building

既存園舎 既存園舎 既存園舎

既存園舎

Ｎ Ｎ Ｎ
Site and Ground Floor Plan - Scale = 1:400
配置図・1階平面図　S=1:400 Roof Plan - Scale = 1:4001:400
屋根伏図　S
配置図・1階平面図　S=1:400
Tezuka Architects | 5
Fuji Kindergarten – elevation and section
Children can go under the
handrail around the tree
13mmφ steel rail

300×300 The beam itself is also inclined

girder along the water run-off gradient
Rope is stretched around the
tree at a 200 x 200 grid
Concrete
The deck is inclined along the water run-off For vibration
Affixed Rope
gradient. 1/50~1/70 absorption
250×125×6×8

Menrak construction method ceiling

Urethane t = 30
244×177×7×11
Sliding Doors
Gutter The supporting sash for each sliding door
Low ceiling. The lowest height is H = 2100. A Child:s scale
Gargoyle is supported at two points. It moves
along a sliding track above and below.
Naked Bulb Lighting
Strings hang from the ceiling to turn on lights in each of
the spaces.

The inside is partitioned with furniture.

There are no walls

air supply

mesh screen
Permeable pipe

A B

Heating is only used in winter. Tradition Korean stove-type floor heating has been
A There are no foundations in the tree root zone between the courtyard and the exterior building circumference
installed and heats the floorboards from below. Air passes the below the floors.
B No interefence with tree roots within a 4m-diameter zone from the center of each tree.

1110
300 2245 360 180
3085
FIX FIX FIX FIX FIX FIX FIX FIX

▽ＦＬ

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Fuji Kindergarten – physical model

Tezuka Architects | 7
Fuji Kindergarten – Photography and Documentation

Children keep running in an endless chase. A child can run up to around three miles daily.
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The roof deck is declined towards the center of the oval.
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The Zelkova trees are the perfect playground for children.
Sometimes there are more than forty kids climbing the trees at the same time.
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 There are no foundation beams on this side of
the building, only a slab

There is chamber
under the floor
where Korean
stove-type floor
heating has been
installed

No excavation within 4mΦ

of the tree to prevent root
damage

Tree Roots and Foundations

To preserve a tree is to preserve its roots. You cannot just cut the
roots. If you do, the tree dies. A Zelkova tree’s roots extend only as
far as the spread of its branches, in this case all the way from the
inner courtyard to the edges of the building circumference. We
had to locate the roots using sonar and develop a grid of steel
beams and extended foundations to work around the trees.

The floor slab area nearest to each Zelkova tree were extended
between the foundations, in order to reduce the heavy load that
would otherwise interfere with the base roots. The digging and soil
stabilization proceeded while avoiding the roots. It was more like
an excavation site than a construction site.

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 Main rope is closely tied to the tree to
ensure high tension and safety.

Secondary rope
A grid of φ660 mm ropes create
squares which even the head of
a child cannot pass through

Main rope

Frame

The rope is stretched between both trees

and building to ensure an even load of
forces.

Net holes
We wanted a circular kindergarten, but whenever we pushed the
circle to the perimeter of the site, it interfered with the existing trees.

Holes have been cut out of the roof for trees to project through and
a net has been strung around each tree so the kids can plunge
into the net (the net has a 60mm grid of squares so a child’s head
cannot get stuck) and climb up on the trees. Zelkova trees are
difficult to climb from ground level, but easy to do so from roof
deck.

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 The slender handrail is
connected to the balustrade
by a simple weld.

Round steel 16Φ

A child’s head cannot pass through

Round steel 13Φ

Internal dimension
110mm

Children's feet and most

adult size feet can fit
through

300mm

40 Φ
4 mm weld margin

Joint

Handrail
Encircling the roof is a slender baluster with a maximum spacing of
110mm, too small for a child’s head to enter. Children's feet can
pass through a 110mm gap, and most adults can also hang their
legs over the eaves. Children love throwing their feet through the
gaps to sit and face the courtyard below.

The ceiling height on the courtyard side is 2100mm. An adult is able

to reach up and touch dangling feet above. The top and bottom
of the roof have a very close relationship.

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Skylights
For every room there is a skylight for the space below. You could
place a ladder and climb directly onto the roof. On the first day of
opening after the roof was joined in a loop, the teachers guided
each class around the rooftop. Few children stayed with their
teachers, and instead they gathered around the skylights and
did not move. From the nursery rooms below, the heads of friends
peeking through from above was very interesting.

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 Guide roller
Each sliding door is
supported at two points.

Aluminum rails

Inner side:
3 sliding rails Gap to allow for
movement
Outer side:
3 sliders rails

Rail
SVS round bar fixed
by angle as door rail

Floor
clearance Angle
FB t=3
SVS round bar 6 t × 40 Water drainage is enabled by a
small hole in each of the bottom
rails.
A rubber gasket is applied below the sash.
Outside

Threshold SVS rail Inside

Rubber is attached along each door
Fill in non-shrinkage concrete
edge to create a clearance and
prevent injury of hands/fingers.

Air-tight rubber
The clearance is smallest at the central part of the outer edge of
each sliding door.
The rubber gasket on this edge becomes shorter accordingly.

Entirely Openable Building

For two thirds of the year, the kindergarten is completely open.
This had already been tested before, because the building was
built in two phases and so half of it has been in use since summer.
Therefore, the basic configuration of this building is with the windows
open. The sliding doors directly follow the oval shape. Great care
has been taken to ensure the clearance between fittings prevent
little fingers or limbs from getting trapped.

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 All edges are 5mm radius

450×300×300 BOX

Boxes are connected with bolts that

600×300×300 BOX
can be easily tightened and
loosened with a hexagonal wrench.

300

Screw hole to
connect the boxes
together

300×300×300 BOX Depending on the size of the

block, the thickness of the
material is adjusted
300

There are no gaps at the edge where

the bottom edge meets the side The screw hole is countersunk to keep the
900×300×300 BOX edge screw from protruding out.

Furniture Blocks
The basic idea for the furniture was a simple building block, made
from a soft, lightweight wood called Paulownia. The blocks can be
carried by the children, and even if pupils bang their heads slightly,
it will be the Paulownia that gets dented. The corners were also
made with a 5mm radius.

The basic module of the box is 300×300×300, and it was then

developed into variations of 300×450×300, 300×600×300, and
600×600×600. The thickness of the boards has been increased
alongside the span, and even if the children jump on them or hit
them, the boxes are sufficiently strong to withstand any damage.
The large block sizes can sometimes become shelves to store
teaching materials.

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 Vegetation + Fence

Vegetation + Fence

Vegetation Wall
for privacy

Gate

EV

Movable Furniture

Vegetation + Fence

Stage

Storage
Vegetation + Fence
Gate

Gate

Hall
The eastern part of the oval is wider than the other sections, and
is usually divided into five learning spaces. If the furniture is shifted
aside, the space becomes a hall that can accommodate as many
as 600 people. Also, if the doors are opened, people can flood out
into the courtyard, creating an even larger space.

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The counter has a width in which
cups can be placed

The water faucet is freely

bendable into place
SVS.H.L

Stainless steel is bent to

have a chamfer edge

Endcut is smoothed with

a chamfer edge

Shina plywood, clear paint Basin height is at the

scale of a child.
Removable plate on the
side for maintenance and A bucket can easily be
inspection placed beside the basin
and filled using the
bendable hose

Tap handle has a

Air conditioner remote control is minimum and maximum
installed on the side. turn position

The hole is setback from the

surface to prevent water damage

Tube is securely fixed onto

the base material to
prevent shaking when
pipe is in use

Childcare Room Washbasins

The image of the washroom in a childcare room is that of an
outdoor well. Rather than washing one's hands while facing a wall,
we decided it was more fun for everyone to gather together like
an event, cheering and shouting. The water faucet is a flexible
tube. You can freely bend the hose both inside and outside the
basin. Initially, we were worried about disasters but unexpectedly
the children understood. Presently, it is happily being used without
any trouble.

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 Faucet can be freely bent into
position and shape.
On the garden side, a sand zone of about
300 mm wide prevents the overflow of
water into the garden

60 φ -100 φ logs

Insulated to prevent freezing

in winter

Waterproof sheet
Support: SVS pipe
Fill the gaps of the log with
gravel. Fill the bottom with
crushed stones

Outdoor faucets
Faucets for outdoor use are indispensable for the garden of a
kindergarten. The flexible hose that extends from each faucet can
be used from both courtyard and corridor side. Ordinary concrete
drain pans would be unsightly for this kindergarten so we installed
large water drain pans underneath the ground. We piled logs into
the earth at the base of the faucet, and water is able to enter
crevices above and travel down to reach the drain below.

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 Waterproof sheet
applied to the surface
Edge of gargoyle is set
as the center point

Water basin 900 φ Afterwards, plant ivy

can grow, etc

Gravel is kept on the

surface of the net

Acrlyic is folded back

and secured between
two brackets
Acrylic t=3mm

Overflow prevention

Eaves and Gargoyles

There are five gargoyles at the eaves of the courtyard. The
collected rain water falls from five places into the five large basins
in the courtyard below. On rainy days, children gather around the
waterfalls that flow from these gargoyles. The children love this
flowing water.

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 Slide

Have beveled edges

for every corner

Construction plate is secured by double joints

and for extra leeway and structural movement

Waterproof cover over

construction

Connect parts to secure slide

onto structural beam
Slide: Rounded rail
Structural Frame
Slide support
(structure)
Sliding surface
Embossed SVS

Rib plate @ 900

Fixing angle for Slide

and slide support.
Hole is kept loosened.

Slide surface 1300R

Connection plate between
roof, and landing. Opening to insert
hands when
connecting the
slide support

Landing zone made into a

bunker Slide surface 2000R
Slide

Slide support

Ground foundation

Slide
The play equipment that we made for the kindergarten comprises
of just one slide. To reach the slide, the children must climb a mound
of soil about one meter in height, then ascend a staircase onto the
roof.

It is the angle and length of the slide that makes it enjoyable to

children of all ages. From the children who slide for the first time
all the way to the most senior children, every child is reminded by
each other’s fun of how joyful riding the slide is.

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 One string turns on the surrounding lights

Naked Light Bulbs

Naked Bulb Lighting

The lighting used for Fuji Kindergarten is naked light bulbs. Strings
hang from the ceiling that can turn on the lights inside the spaces.
However, even if one string is pulled, it is only connected to the few
lights surrounding the string. To turn on all the lights in a room, it is
necessary to go to each place and pull the strings. Children gather
in the places where the lights are turned on, like a campfire space.
A light dimmer function is included in the switch for each light.

Although the purpose is to extend the longevity of each lamp,

another purpose is to allow the children to visually check the
filaments of the light bulbs, and learn about the relationship
between a switch, it's light and why the bulb shines.

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Structure
The structure is randomly arranged to accommodate the
preservation of the Zelkova trees. While the building seems to have
a center, it is a space without a center. There is no regularity to
the oval shape. The roof appears smooth but is actually a three-
dimensional curved surface of a delicately changing hyperbolic
shell. Final welds were not made until after the roof was fully
completed in order to ensure the structural moment was finalized
securely.

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 １１１０
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内樋

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２０９０

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２２０
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１０００ ２０００ １０００

１９８５ ５００ ３００ ４００ ３５０ ６５０

２７８５＊ １４００
Ｃ Ｂ Ａ Ｂ

Z2

Preservation of existing tree roots

Soil Zone remains in its pre-existing condition
Extra layer of soil added above the base roots.

Within a 2m radius of the tree there is no nearby floor heating installed

SL = FL -100, slab thickness = 200 mm, no gravel used, original soil retained.
A sheet underlay was installed prior to the leveling concrete in order to prevent the
areas around the roots from being damaged by the compounds found in concrete.

Within a 2m radius of the tree, Korean-style floor heating is installed.

SL = FL-200, slab thickness = 230 mm
Careful attention was given to the carpentry work for the ducts, to ensure proper
ventilation and airflow.

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断面図　S=1:50
Fuji Kindergarten - Numerical Index of Photography

1. Photographer: 2. Photographer: 3. Photographer: 4. Photographer: 5. Photographer: 6. Photographer: 7. Photographer:

Katsuhisa Kida Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects Katsuhisa Kida Katsuhisa Kida Katsuhisa Kida Tezuka Architects
FOTOTECA Ltd.

8. Photographer: 9. Photographer: 10. Photographer: 11. Photographer: 12. Photographer: 13. Photographer: 14. Photographer:
Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects

15. Photographer: 16. Photographer: 17. Photographer: 18. Photographer: 19. Photographer: 20. Photographer: 21. Photographer
Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects

22. Photographer: 23. Photographer: 24. Photographer: 25. Photographer: 26. Photographer: 27. Photographer: 28. Photographer
Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects Katsuhisa Kida Tezuka Architects

29. Photographer: 30. Photographer: 31. Photographer:

Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects Tezuka Architects

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Fuji Kindergarten - in a broader context
NOSTALGIC FUTURE by Tezuka Takaharu, 2016
Nostalgia is the word to describe a desire for a world that has existed in the
past. I do not think the past is better or more ideal than the present because
we are still experiencing a world with conflicts such as war and poverty. Yet
we humans continue to dream about nostalgia. I think this is because there
are important things we are losing as time passes. I use the words ‘Nostalgic
Future’ to describe a world where we can access this ideal form of nostalgia
in the future.
In the 20th century, the future was represented by images of computers
and machines. These idealistic visions are featured in science-fiction movies
such as Metropolis, Modern Times and Tron. The Matrix film shows a world
where images and feelings in the computer are more real than reality itself
more real than real world . There is a program to control everything, yet the
technology is invisible like air. The world is getting closer and closer to the
world portrayed in this movie. Technology is capable of improving our lives
and freeing us from fear and disease. We can travel the world, or safely
hike into the wilderness, easily access the jungle because we have transport,
technology and emergency backup. Technology has made these things
possible. Now it is up to us whether we make use of the technology for an
idealistic future, or for disaster. What is the ideal environment for humans in
the future, and especially for children?
When I go to international conferences about pedagogy, I find that speakers
often talk about the future of education being an integration of computer-
aided technology and clean, safe environments for classrooms. Presenters
often show projections onto walls displaying classrooms with computer
screens and playgrounds with soft, colorful antibacterial plastic. If you look
at many of the latest school designs, the modern school building is getting
bigger and bigger and looking more like an IT company’s headquarters.
Sometimes I find there are very small playgrounds, while the structure itself
is taking up most of the land. In these buildings, children never go outside.
They stay indoors can never walk outside don’t walk outside all day so they
don’t get wet or feel cold. Many people believe that this is the future but I
am always against these choices for children.
I think it is time that we need to understand that we are a part of a bigger
existence. These artificial controlled environments are not the vision of the
future anymore; they are slowly killing the children. Just as a fish cannot
live in purified water, children cannot live in a clean, quiet and controlled
environment. Our life is a part of the surrounding environment and that
cannot be disconnected.
Background Noise for All
A few years ago, while in Bali, my wife and I were invited by Dr. Tsutomu
Ohashi to see a Kecak, an Indonesian music drama and dance. Dr. Ohashi
is a molecular biologist, composer and neuroscientist, renowned for his
outstanding research on the effects of hypersonic sounds on humans. I
had the privilege to be with him only a short moment and I learned a lot
from him during that time. I recorded the Kecak with my mobile phone but
when I replayed the Kecak back in Japan I found the music was masked by
background noise. I first thought there was a glitch with my mobile phone. I
soon realized that the background noise was from the jungle. In the jungle,
I did not pay attention to the noise. In fact, I did not feel the noise was
distracting at all. Simply I ignored the noise and enjoyed the Kecak ritual.
Humans have a natural noise canceling system to selectively listen to what
we want. We cancel the noise not by frequency, but by information. Of
course, this effect did not work when I was back in Japan because I was not
amid the same background noise.
Actually our body is full of noise too. When we dive underwater, it is possible
to start hearing noises from our own bodies. Our body is very noisy. The noise
from our cardiovascular system is louder than that of a construction site,
yet we are capable of only hearing the sounds of a Mozart performance.
We have naturally learned to ignore the noise from inside of our body.
In complete silence, we can be extremely sensitive. It is very natural to
be exposed to high frequency background noise. It is not natural to be
in complete silence. I think this is the reason why we hear about children
having difficulties staying quiet in the classroom. I consider it only natural
that they feel nervous in an enclosed environment without any background
noise. I suspect that the design of modern, quiet school buildings could be
the cause of many autistic symptoms in children.
In 2007, we designed Fuji Kindergarten and have received numerous
awards in fields from architecture to education, including The Japan
Institute of Architects Award in 2008 and Best of All in the OECD/CELE 4th
Compendium of Exemplary Educational Facilities. Fuji Kindergarten is a large
oval shape, well known to allow 600 children to run freely around the oval
roof. The kindergarten’s sliding doors are completely open between April
and November. When these doors are open, the building functions as a
roof. There are no clear boundaries between each classroom. There are only
boxes, and 1.8-meter tall panels to indicate areas. Fuji Kindergarten accepts
more than 30 autistic children among many other children. The principal has
told me that these 30 children do not show obvious signs of autism when
they are in the building. When some children have had a difficult time in
other kindergartens, they transferred to Fuji Kindergarten and behaved no
differently to other children without mental disorders.
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The key to Fuji Kindergarten was to design spaces as very open environments,
filled with background noise. Not only is noise coming from other classrooms,
but also from outside too. There are classes teaching basic mathematics
while another class is playing piano nearby. The children are obviously
selecting information from the background noise. Some visitors often worry if
the children are able to maintain concentration. One time the kindergarten
was featured on a television program. The film crew told me that they were
very surprised to find that the children were capable of ignoring the television
camera and continued listening to the teacher.
A visitor from Germany once questioned Mr. Kato, the principal of Fuji
Kindergarten, ‘how do you make the children go quiet?’ Mr. Kato said it is
quite easy. He whispered and they quieted down. The children always know
he has something interesting to say, so they listen. Children have different
levels of personal space in order to feel comfortable. In nature, space is
limitless and we are allowed to choose any distance we want. In the
classroom, if a child must stay in a set area, they cannot define their space.
It is expected that some students do not stay within certain boundaries.
The classroom space only exists because the boundary exists. When the
boundary disappears, the constraints disappear.
There is always a question made by visitors to Fuji Kindergarten on a rainy
day, what happens if these children get wet. The answer of Mr Kato is very
simple :’ In Japan, children change their clothes if they get wet, they have
human skin and are waterproof. Unlike a mobile phone, children do not
break when wet in a bathtub. They can be washed clean. Sometimes, I take
my own children to the sea to chase turtles. When my son was 7 years old he
was capable of swimming more than 1000 meters. Now he is 11 years old.
He dives in the river and catches fishes. Children should be treated as a part
of the natural environment.
Natural Environment
Children are strong and capable enough to stay outdoors. Of course they
need protection in extreme weather, though not all the time. When we think
of old settlements, these buildings are comfortable enough for most of the
seasons. Comfort cannot be measured simply by temperature or humidity. In
2001, we designed a house called Roof House, where the family enjoys living
and inhabiting the space on top of the inclined roof. When we published the
project we were criticized that the roof is too hot in summer and too cold in
winter. The critics were saying that the roof cannot be used and the design
is based on fiction that I had imagined. The owner responded saying that
they use the rooftop every day. The answer was very simple. The roof is hot in
summer; therefore the roof should be used before sunrise or after dark while
the roof is still cool. The roof is cold in winter; therefore the roof should be
used after noon when the roof gets warm enough.
In the past, humans found comfort through timing and location instead
of controlling our living environment with technology. This is just like a cat
finding its favorite place to laze. Human behavior is full of contradictions.
We go to the beach in summer. The sand is 50 Celsius (122 Fahrenheit). We
go to ski in winter. The ski slope is -20 Celsius (-4 Fahrenheit). This is telling us
that the comfort is about the level of pleasure, not temperature. It is possible
a fisherman’s hut on the water could be much more comfortable than an
expensive, air-conditioned, modern concrete structure. We can say the
same thing about schools. A traditionally designed school hut in Bali could
be much more comfortable than the latest, modern, air-conditioned school.
There are kindergartens and childcare facilities around the world with
playgrounds covered with antibacterial plastic. This kind of technology is
spreading. Of course such a technology is much needed in this world, for
example, it can be very useful in a refugee camp where sanitation is poor.
Yet we can easily go wrong. It is often said that the dangers of excessive
use of antibiotics may create antibiotic-resistant bacteria. For children, a
sterilized environment can be just as dangerous as a polluted one. In 2014,
we designed a unique hospital called Soranomori that specializes in infertility
treatment. Usually hospitals are designed to be non-bacterial, sterilized
places but our body already has an immune system and is full of different
bacteria. In this hospital, the patients are encouraged to receive treatment
amid the natural environment, with open windows and exposure to the
Okinawa forests. We have received news that the success rate doubled
since introducing a hospital into this environment.
Children also need to be treated as a part of the natural environment.
Dr. Tsutomu Ohashi said, we are a kind grown up in the jungle; we cannot
deny what we are. When we overprotect children with artificially created
environments, they cannot grow up properly. In Fuji Kindergarten, Mr. Kato
leaves the children on top of the roof. Some spontaneously run more than 6
kilometers in the morning. These children do not require any special training
in order to get faster and stronger. They may get wet and sometimes fall
down from a tree branch. They may tumble and get slight injuries. That is
how they learn the way of life. Mr. Kato said, “don’t spoil them too much or
they will grow up the wrong way. Because the ones who don’t break a bone
now, may get a more serious injury once he or she grows up.”
Whenever I see the smiles of children who were raised at Fuji Kindergarten,
I get lumps in my throat at the thought of this joy being packed into a
suitcase and sent to children all around the world. It is quite possible that
the children who have access to the latest technology are not receiving a
better education than the children with little access to the technology but
learn in a natural environment.
Tezuka Architects | 27
Fuji Kindergarten – Awards and Recognitions

Awards Links to relevant video/audio content:

2007 TED Talk:
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry: Interaction Design The Best Kindergarten You Have Ever Seen
Prize
https://www.ted.com/talks/takaharu_tezuka_the_best_
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry: Kids Design Gold kindergarten_you_ve_ever_seen?language=en TED talk
Prize 2015

Association for Children’s Environment: ACE Award Design

Category Harvard GSD Lecture: Beyond Architecture

Design for Asia Awards 2007: Grand Award http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/#/media/takaharu-tezuka-

beyond-architecture.html
The Architectural Review: AR Awards 2007 Highly
Commended

2008
Architectural Institute of Japan: Architectural Design Division
2008 Prize

The Japan Institute of Architects: The Japan Institute of

Architects Prize

2009
Asia Pacific Property Awards: The Architecture Award

2011
OECD/CELE: The Best of All, OECD/CELE 4th Compendium of
Exemplary Educational Facilities

Tezuka Architects | 28
Fuji Kindergarten – Evidence of Support

TESTIMONIAL

Dear Takaharu San,

While visiting Japan as Chair of the OECD Centre for Effective Learning Environments (CELE) in 2012, I had the great privilege of visiting
your wonderful Fuji Kindergarden. This visit was arranged by Mr. FUKUEI SAITO, Director, Educational Facilities Research Center,
National Institute for Educational Policy Research (NIER) who with representatives of MEXT, I spent 3 hours being guided around by the
Owner Director of this private school. We were all deeply impressed by the enthusiasm and confidence of the staff and pupils we met. At a
personal level I was deeply moved by the great attention to every detail of this wonderful school environment.

Having visited many schools internationally without any doubt Fuji is one of my favourites. My congratulations again.

Best regards and success.

Tony Sheppard Architect - B.Arch., F.R.I.A.I., R.I.B.A.

Chair OECD Centre for Effective Learning Environments (CELE)
Technical Manager| Professional + Technical Section | Planning and Building Unit
Department of Education and Skills
Block 3, 2-16, Marlborough Street, Dublin, D01 RC96, Ireland
Direct 00353 1 8892336 |Mobile 00353 87 6596779 |Email tony_sheppard@education.gov.ie

Tezuka Architects | 29
Fuji Kindergarten – Evidence of Support

CITATION BY PETER COOK

Visiting the Fuji Kindergarten at Tachikawa, on the fringes of Tokyo, is an extraordinarily charming experience. It is quite unlike any other building that you know, yet
it seems both deliberate and obvious and with a natural presence. It is dynamic in its total, continuous shape and the presence of liberated children, scampering up
onto the roof deck and down, around the oval formation of the classrooms, yet it seems not to shout at you as a construct. It is essentially of our time but seems also to
recall (for me) the calm and committed architecture of the Swedish or Danish Modernists who also believed in light, air and a direct, timber structure for the benefit
of humanity. Like those buildings it presents the spaces in a restrained but very straightforward detailing with a number of sweet or amusing small-scale boxes and
hutches and corners in which the kids can play and identify.

Yet underlying and stimulating all this admirable charm and intelligent design is a special understanding which clearly motivated the project. The Directors and
educationalists behind the scheme – coming as they were from the Montessori persuasion - were looking for an instrument that could demonstrate the benefits of
freedom and openness, not only of attitude to study and play, but its spatial and expressionistic implications. If the continuous rotation of space in the building gives
the impression of breaking boundaries, this is not just the architects’ whim but the implementation of this educational philosophy. Illustrative of this, is the fact that
Takaharu and Yui Tezuka – the architects – have their own children in the school, and had arrived at the seemingly unorthodox idea of a flat roof as playground via an
already tried and tested model - their earlier ‘Roof House’ in Hadano. If such a thing could be enjoyed by a family - then surely the same liberation up off the ground
could fit so well with the Montessori thinking.

The roof itself is set quite low to the ground, little more than two meters and space is interrupted sometimes by a succession of ‘boxes’, washroom boxes occur within
the nursery spaces, naked light bulbs hang (at a safe distance) from the ceiling, the existing trees run up through the structure unfettered by it. Again, this relaxed
attitude towards space, place and play is no mere laissez-faire or ramshackle approach, but is quite deliberate. In fact, close inspection reveals that these conditions
demand deft and sometimes tough detailing.

A later adjunct to the building - the ‘Ring Around a Tree’- functioning as an open English-language classroom and waiting space for the school bus, consists of 7
rotating platforms that certainly do circuit a large tree develop further the theme of free roaming and the breakout from conventional ideas of ‘room’ or ‘deck’ or ‘path’.
Yet again, the nonchalance with which it is used and its immediate appeal as a fusion of playground structure and operational element confirm the skill and intelligence
of the architects. The instantaneous charm of the place is in fact a subtle achievement that should point a directional finger at other architects, suggesting that both
social and educational commitment, immersion in a working idea and honest (but intensely thought) detailing are not incompatible with a unique form.

What a brilliant building.

Furthermore, my experience of the architects themselves has always been stimulating and refreshing, one enjoys in their persons, the insight and commitment - as well
as the obvious talent – that is visible in the Kindergarten.

Tezuka Architects | 30
 Fuji Kindergarten – Video Link

Video: Tezuka Architects

Fuji
Kindergarten
Extracts from TEDxKyoto and various media

English Subtitles - 4:59

https://vimeo.com/205985723

Tezuka Architects | 31