Kumamoto Prefectural Kagayakinomori School for Special Needs Education

A special education school for children with physical and intellectual disabilities. Kumamoto Prefectural Government By employing a dynamic structural framework made exclusively from “single-piece” timber, the design creates a single-story wooden school building that conveys the warmth of both wood and people. The segmented volumes of the single-story structure harmonize with the scale of the surrounding residential area, while the succession of gently sloping roofs creates a gentle landscape that echoes the mountain range.To delight the children, who often look up at the ceiling from their wheelchairs, the expressive roof trusses add variety to the “scenery” of the ceiling. The goal was to create a space that serves as a “second home,” where “learning” that enhances Activities of Daily Living (ADL) can seamlessly continue from home.