Lively green kindergarten in Seoul has 230 flowerpots dangling off its facade

One lucky neighborhood in Seoul is home to the bright and playful kindergarten of every grown-up’s dreams. Winding staircases and slides, kid-shaped play nooks, and a focus on sustainability make the OA Lab designed Flower+ Kindergarten the perfect place for children to learn and grow.

Jungmin Nam, director of OA Lab, believed the building could be a breath of fresh air to the neighborhood. “Most of the kindergartens in the city have poor architectural design, reflecting economic values, regulations and small lot sizes in the highly dense city,” he said. The seven-story structure uses vertical space to make a roomy learning environment with four of the stories devoted to classrooms, two reserved for staff facilities and parking, and a rooftop terrace for the final touch.

Instead of a typical rectangular construction with boring stairwells, the designers wanted every inch of the building to be inviting for the kids. A winding staircase becomes part of the playrooms, with a curved window following along and slides to travel downward. Child-sized nooks and crannies are decked out for comfortable sitting and exploring. And all throughout the classrooms a subtle, changing color scheme can be observed on the ceilings and window frames.

The exterior of the kindergarten is just as stunning as the interior. The Crema Bella limestone walls are dotted with square windows of varying sizes and 230 built-in flowerpots keep the nature connection alive at street level. The rooftop terrace is equipped with a rainwater collection system and photovoltaic panels for a greener energy footprint.