Sakuragaoka Childcare Center
A bright child center overflowing with the warmth of wood and light from the Seto Inland Sea was designed for Saijo in Hiroshima Prefecture which is known as a town of red roof tiles and sake breweries. The building was provided with a warm expression with different shades by using red roof tiles that are individually hand-finished by craftsmen. The unique “Igura” configuration of houses in Saijo was adopted for the playrooms in order to create large bright spaces, and light flows in through the membrane roof. Sake bags which were used by a local sake brewery were reused to make the interior lights, creating a building where children can learn about culture while playing.
photography by © Masato Yamaguchi
Project Info:
Architects: Kengo Kuma & Associates
Location: Hiroshima, Japan
Area: 929 m²
Project Year: 2020
Photographs: Masato Yamaguchi
Isabelle Laurent is a Built Projects Editor at Arch2O, recognized for her editorial insight and passion for contemporary architecture. She holds a Master’s in Architectural Theory from École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-Belleville. Before joining Arch2O in 2016, she worked in a Paris-based architectural office and taught as a faculty adjunct at the École Spéciale d’Architecture in Paris. Isabelle focuses on curating projects around sustainability, adaptive reuse, and urban resilience. With a background in design and communication, she brings clarity to complex ideas and plays a key role in shaping Arch2O’s editorial