Nursery School of Soft Ceiling

We envisioned nurseries characterized by their unique ceilings.

In projects to make nurseries within typical tenant buildings by designing only the interiors, the basic layout of the floor plan tends to be largely predetermined by the existing structure and lighting conditions. This is why we wanted to explore the idea of creating movement in the spaces by utilizing the ceilings.

According to perceptual psychologist James J. Gibson’s theory of perception, we are able to perceive space three-dimensionally based on the texture of information in our field of vision. In this project, we not only used undulating ceilings to produce gradients of light and shadow but also tried to integrate the lighting fixtures and sensors within the texture gradients. This resulted in the ceiling taking on a dynamic feel that brings to mind the suckers of an octopus, creating spaces that perhaps will inspire children to actively want to dance and run about.

This project is composed of two nurseries that we began designing simultaneously, so we differentiated the way their ceilings undulate. In the first nursery, which has a relatively more spacious floor plan, we created generous ceilings with gently rounded edges, while in the second nursery, which has an irregularly shaped plan, we created a rhythmical ceiling that rises and dips to accommodate the wall-mounted air conditioning units that we had no choice but to install due to the low story height.

Because both nurseries are located on upper stories, only their ceilings are visible from the street. Welfare facilities are often closed off from the outside for security reasons, so it can be difficult to get an idea of the interior atmosphere. These ceiling designs thus could also be considered a positive change from the perspective of the community.