kientruc o introduces vibrant playhouse kindergarten to ho chi minh city
designboom_architecture firm kientruc o completes its whimsical ‘TTC elite saigon kindergarten‘ in ho chi minh city, vietnam. designed as a playhouse for its students, the project is conceived as a simple and singular geometric shape — a strategy aimed to provoke a sense of curiosity. with its minimal volume, the design team introduces the building’s defining playful quality with the use of rounded figural windows, all irregular in their collective layout and proportions.
while the layout of the windows seems randomized, it has been systematically calculated to ensure the allowance of adequate natural daylight and ventilation when in use. these openings allow children to peer outward — stimulating imagination and curiosity — and establishing a direct relationship between the interior playspace and the living, ever-changing exterior environment.
in a holistic view, the architecture suggests a cubist geometry, reflecting those of the neighboring housing blocks.with this sensitivity to the surrounding context, the kindergarten brings with it a fresh and lively quality to the urban grid.