Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

A Vivid, Curvaceous Kindergarten Takes Cues From Feng Shui in Vietnam

A Vivid, Curvaceous Kindergarten Takes Cues From Feng Shui in Vietnam

Natural materials, lush courtyards, and feng shui principles combine in the first of a series of eco kindergartens by LAVA and Module K.

In a reaction against sterile learning environments, international architecture firm LAVA has completed Eco-Kindi, an environmentally conscious kindergarten in Vinh, Vietnam that encourages holistic learning through organically shaped architecture.



Eco Kindi is located next to a large lake in Vinh, an economic and cultural center in north-central Vietnam.

"It’s part of an education revolution," says Chris Bosse, director at LAVA, which has partnered with Ho Chi Minh City–based interior design firm Module K on a new series of sustainably designed kindergartens focused on holistic learning. "If you want to create a better future, you have to start with the education of our children."



"This is a very big building for a kindergarten," says Bosse. "The kindergarten assumes a prominent position on the lake, like a town hall, a library, a sports center, or a major event space-and it is all of this."

To encourage discovery, curiosity, and interaction with nature, the architects crafted three semicircular buildings punctuated with circular windows of varying sizes framed in bold primary colors and surrounded by lush vegetation. Connected via Y-shaped footbridges, the three-story curved buildings are oriented for natural ventilation and optimal views of the adjacent Goong Lake.



The Y-shaped footbridges that connect the three buildings are open to the outdoors.

"The design language-organic shapes, simple architectural lines, primary colors, different facades/windows coded by age-is all about growth," says Bosse. The architect credits his belief in the power of architecture to shape young minds to his own childhood experiences growing up near Frei Otto’s experimental Institute for Lightweight Structures in Germany. "It’s child-friendly without being childish."



The windows vary in height and size in response to the needs of different age groups.

The project was completed in just 12 months from the first meeting to final construction thanks to a close working relationship between all stakeholders, who met over a series of workshops in Vinh and Ho Chi Minh City. The architects divided the kindergarten into a trio of three-story buildings to match the relatively low-lying residential architecture that surrounds the site.



Interstitial spaces between buildings serve as outdoor playgrounds.



The street-facing building features an interactive water fountain that provides a cool respite on hot days.

The architects referenced the five feng shui elements in their material selection and design, including earth via sand pits and earth mounds; water with the interactive fountain; fire through the Masterchef kitchen; metal in the playground equipment; and wood as seen in the landscaping and interiors.



Undulating ribbed ceilings made of plywood add a sense of play to the interiors.



Physical activity and art education are emphasized in the curriculum, which includes swimming, sports, art and music classes, and cooking lessons.

The kindergarten’s nature-inspired design has also led to energy-saving benefits. Natural ventilation and daylighting reduce energy loads, while the plants on the roofs and terraces will grow over time to provide shade and cooling microclimates. Bosse adds that for the majority of the year, the school can stay naturally cool thanks to cross breezes from the lake.



All the furniture is custom built from plywood.



"An education project for the future generation challenges us to question the ways we teach and learn," says Bosse. "Rather than a sterile box with a teacher in front and kids in rows listening, we created a learning environment where discovery, curiosity, interaction with nature, and activity-based learning are encouraged to promote children’s holistic development."



Classrooms are housed in two of the buildings, while the southernmost building comprises the canteen, medical room, library and activity-based learning areas such as a ballroom and swimming pool.

"Education is the foundation of our society, and it should express itself this way," explains Bosse. "The design is playful and organic at the same time, and it allows interaction inside and outside-between city scale and human scale."



Eco Kindi plan



Eco Kindi elevation



Eco Kindi section



Eco Kindi natural ventilation diagram

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
×