Hello Cheese Kindergarten

The concept of Hello Cheese Kindergarten was inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy, emphasizing child-led exploration, spatial openness, and multi-sensory learning. Instead of viewing architecture as a static container, the design imagines space itself as a "third teacher," an interactive and adaptive environment that fosters curiosity, independence, and emotional growth. The idea of “cheese” as a metaphor—playful, porous, geometric—was used to guide visual language, generating rounded windows, softened corners, and flowing movement paths that resonate with childhood imagination.

Due to fire regulations for temporary structures, many areas of the building, especially facades facing public roads, were prohibited from having operable windows. In response, the design introduced a series of fixed circular openings along the exterior walls. These half-moon and porthole windows not only comply with code but have become iconic visual features of the kindergarten. Additionally, several skylights were retained from the original building shell conceived by the architect, whose work preceded the interior design phase by two months. Rather than overwrite the architectural shell, the team embraced it, preserving its intent and extending its vocabulary through interior rhythms and aligned apertures.

The project challenges the conventional kindergarten typology by rejecting fixed classrooms and adopting sliding partitions, enabling adaptive layouts that evolve with daily programming. Visual cues such as curved ceiling lines, textured flooring, and light-filled circular openings enhance intuitive wayfinding. The use of wood wool cement board, a sustainable and fire-resistant acoustic material, gives the ceiling both functional performance and tactile warmth. Spatial design borrows strategies from commercial and industrial environments, yet reinterprets them through a child-centered, emotionally sensitive lens.

For educators, the space supports a wide range of teaching modes, from structured lessons to open exploration, while ensuring compliance with safety and hygiene standards. For children, the design creates a psychologically safe, visually clear, and sensorially rich environment where they can move freely, observe, and self-direct. For the client, the architecture maximizes adaptability, minimizes long-term maintenance, and delivers a unique spatial identity for the brand. In all, Hello Cheese becomes a model for how temporary schools can embody permanence of purpose.