Make an “Elsewhere”: Reimagining Biophilic Architecture for Children

In rapidly urbanizing cities, childhood is increasingly shaped by concrete, congestion, and constraint. The project Make an “Elsewhere” confronts this condition directly, proposing a radical rethinking of how architecture can serve children in dense urban environments. Designed by Khanh Anh and shortlisted for the Education '20 category, the project positions biophilic architecture for children as a critical framework for restoring lost connections between young minds and the natural world.

At its core, the project identifies a fundamental conflict: the tension between urban infrastructure and the innocence of childhood. Cities impose a reality of high-rise living, pollution, noise, and psychological stress. In contrast, childhood demands exploration, curiosity, and engagement with living systems. This project asks a precise question: how can architecture construct an alternate world within the existing one?

Rebuilding a Lost Paradise Through Architecture

The conceptual foundation draws inspiration from the narrative of Noah’s Ark, not as a literal reference but as an architectural strategy. Just as the Ark preserved life during crisis, this project proposes a built environment that shelters biodiversity within the city. It becomes a curated ecosystem where plants, animals, and children coexist.

This is not symbolic landscaping. It is a structured ecological integration. The building acts as a contained micro-world, a “piece of earth” that can be inserted into dense urban fabric. The intention is clear: to reconstruct a disappeared paradise within the constraints of contemporary cities.

A Layered Ecosystem: Plants, Animals, and Children

The project organizes its spatial logic through three primary layers: vegetation, fauna, and human occupation. These are not segregated zones but interdependent systems. The green envelope wraps the structure, hosting plant life across multiple levels. Animal habitats are integrated into the architectural section, creating opportunities for observation and interaction. Children inhabit this environment as participants, not passive users.

This layered strategy aligns directly with principles of biophilic architecture. It emphasizes multisensory engagement, ecological awareness, and spatial diversity. Instead of isolating nature as a peripheral element, the project embeds it into the architectural DNA.

Urban Insertion: A Portable Landscape

One of the most compelling aspects of the proposal is its adaptability. The building is conceived as a modular, self-contained system that can be placed anywhere within the city. The urban diagrams illustrate this clearly. Amid dense blocks and infrastructural grids, the project appears as a distinct green entity.

This portability transforms the project into a scalable solution. It is not a one-off intervention but a replicable model for cities worldwide. Each instance becomes a node of ecological restoration and childhood experience.

Sectional Intelligence and Environmental Control

The sectional drawings reveal a sophisticated environmental strategy. The architecture creates internal courtyards and vertical green walls that regulate microclimate conditions. Light, airflow, and vegetation are orchestrated to produce a distinct internal atmosphere. The statement “a different air, a different view, a different sun” is not poetic exaggeration. It reflects a deliberate environmental recalibration.

Children moving through the building experience shifting spatial conditions. Enclosed classrooms transition into open green terraces. Circulation paths become exploratory trails. The architecture functions as both educational infrastructure and experiential landscape.

Programmatic Organization and Spatial Diversity

The floor plans demonstrate a careful balance between structured learning and open exploration. Ground levels prioritize communal and administrative functions, while upper levels introduce classrooms, recreational areas, and green zones. The integration of vegetation across all floors ensures continuity of experience.

The top level introduces a large open space, potentially for sports or collective activities, reinforcing the idea that physical movement and environmental awareness are inseparable. The building avoids rigid zoning, instead promoting fluid transitions between programs.

Structural Logic and Material Expression

The project employs a dual-structure system. The outer layer functions as a lightweight metal envelope, supporting the vertical green systems. The inner structure, more solid and grounded, houses the primary programmatic spaces. This separation allows for flexibility and environmental performance optimization.

The exposed structural framework also contributes to the educational dimension. Children are not only surrounded by nature but also by visible systems of construction, encouraging awareness of how built environments function.

Biophilic Architecture as Pedagogy

What distinguishes this project is its understanding of architecture as a pedagogical tool. It does not merely accommodate educational functions. It actively teaches. Through spatial experience, children learn about ecosystems, coexistence, and environmental responsibility.

In this sense, the project extends beyond architecture into behavioral design. It shapes how children perceive and interact with the world. The “elsewhere” is not an escape from reality but a recalibration of it.

Make an “Elsewhere” presents a compelling argument for rethinking urban education through biophilic architecture for children. It demonstrates that even within dense cities, it is possible to construct environments that nurture imagination, ecological awareness, and emotional well-being.

By integrating plants, animals, and human activity into a cohesive system, the project transforms architecture into a living framework. It is both shelter and ecosystem, both school and landscape.

In doing so, it offers a clear proposition: the future of cities must include spaces where children can rediscover the natural world. Not at the edge of the city, but at its very center.

This is how we rebuild the world.