UB Kindergarten and Nursery by HIBINOSEKKEI + Youji no Shiro

Located in Fujiyoshida, Japan, the UB Kindergarten and Nursery designed by HIBINOSEKKEI, Kids Design Labo, and Youji no Shiro redefines the relationship between early childhood education and nature. Completed in 2022, this 934 m² daycare facility accommodates up to 117 children, offering them an immersive environment that blends architecture, play, and the natural landscape of Mount Fuji’s foothills.

The client’s guiding philosophy—“Play to the fullest in nature, in rain or snow, even getting covered with mud”—inspired a design that allows children to interact freely with their environment. Instead of imposing a rigid structure, the architecture adapts to the existing 10,000 m² site, preserving mature trees and enhancing natural topography. Excavated soil from construction was reused to create playful hills and forested zones, encouraging exploration, sustainability, and cost efficiency.

Design Approach and Spatial Experience

The building and landscape function as an educational playground, where learning happens through discovery.

• Reservoirs were designed as shallow pools instead of being buried underground, enabling children to observe rainfall, sled, or play in dynamic seasonal conditions.
• Circuit-style pathways with varied elevations replicate the feel of a forest trail, encouraging curiosity, independence, and active movement.
• Carved wall spaces integrate slides, picture-book corners, and play nooks, creating cave-like hideouts that spark imagination and sensory exploration.

On the second floor, spaces are divided by partitions that stop short of the ceiling, simulating the experience of exploring cabins in a forest. Variations in wall height, texture, and color add rhythm and discovery, allowing children to find favorite spots while nurturing independence. The library and bathrooms adopt the same cabin-style design, offering partially enclosed, comfortable, and approachable spaces.

Materials and Community Integration

Locally sourced Fuji cypress was used extensively, grounding the building in its regional identity and fostering children’s connection to the community. The warm textures of wood not only enhance comfort but also promote tactile learning, resilience, and environmental awareness.

A Kindergarten Rooted in Nature

The UB Kindergarten and Nursery stands as a model of sustainable educational architecture, where design, play, and ecology intersect. By transforming natural resources into architectural opportunities, the project allows children to learn not only in classrooms but also directly from the living landscape of Fujiyoshida.

All Photographs are works of Studio Bauhaus