Tucked between a larger academy campus and a "historic castle park" in Osaka, Japan, the White Rose English School is designed to accommodate up to 400 kids at a time for extracurricular English lessons, while also expressing "the energy and liveliness of the children." Grasping at something of an unlikely muse, architect Naoko Horibe also thought of fast food restaurants when constructing the concrete, all-white center, so as to cut down on congestion. "We set up two gateways, which allowed cars to smoothly drive into the school premises and out," explains the architect.
Inside, the space is open and light-filled, thanks to massive windows, whimsical swooping walls (think Zaha-lite,) spiral staircases (still not a great idea, but alright) and massive windows. "I wanted to express the enjoyment and interest of learning English for kids," says Horibe, "using architecture itself rather than a signboard or display."
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Naoko Horibe's White Rose English School [Dezeen]
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