蜂巢里的童年

庭院，在中国的建筑里，不仅仅是一种物理空间的传统，还是情感交流的中心。人们通过庭院维系一个家庭的凝聚力、增进亲友之间的交往、并得以用触手可及的方式与天地、与自然相通。而这对于今天生活在大城市的人来说，已经是一种妄想。

In Chinese architecture, courtyard is both a conventional physical space and the center for sharing of feelings. Families are connected to each other and the nature through courtyards, a luxury for inhabitants in metropolises.

　　安亭位于上海西北角与苏州花桥接壤的地方。地铁11号线安亭站南边正在形成一片新的生活社区，社区的中心是社区教育、文化及商业设施，这座幼儿园是社区的三所学校之一，也是率先建造的公共建筑，由安亭汽车城出资，德威教育集团（Dulwich）和华师大合办。

The town of Anting is located in the northwest of Shanghai, adjacent to the town of Huaqiao, Suzhou. To the south of Anting station along the metro line 11, a new neighborhood is taking shape, with facilities for community education, culture and businesses at its center. One of the three schools in the community, the kindergarten is among the first public architectures, funded by Anting Shanghai International Automobile City and jointly operated by the education group Dolwich and East China Normal University.　　在这片7400平米的用地上，要容纳15个班，6600平米三层以下的建筑以及各种室外活动场地，是颇为紧张的。不过，我们还是想通过这次机会，为现代都市里的儿童设计一个有庭院的幼儿园，给他们留下关于庭院生活的情感和记忆，并通过庭院帮助他们认识自然、认识社会、塑造自己。

It’s hard for the plot of 7,400 square metres to accommodate 15 classes, structures of less than three storeys covering an area of 6,600 square metres, as well as a variety of spaces for outdoor activities. But we still want to seize the opportunity and design a kindergarten with a courtyard for children in modern cities. Experience of courtyard life will enable them to understand the nature, the society and shape themselves 

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庭院的营造需要建筑单元的围合，我们顺应场地西侧的斜向边界，将建筑群的平面布局规划成“W”形，加上自南向北的退台，最大限度地获得西、南、东三个方向的日光。

As the enclosure of building units is needed to create courtyards,we came up with a W-shaped floor plan, in consistent with the slanted boundary in the west of the site. The plan, along with the terraced units arranged from south to north, ensures sunlight to the maximum at the west, south and east.

　　经过反复研究，我们发现六边形单元体是适应这一群体形态的最佳选择，蜂巢状的组合能够更好地适应斜边的转折，其内部和外部空间更有活力和凝聚感，也能够消解传统四合院中正交轴线所产生的压力。

　After continuous research, we figured out that hexagon units could best match with the features. Honeycomb-shaped combination could better adapt to the bending of the boundary, which not only makes the interior and exterior spaces more dynamic and cohesive, but also eliminates the pressure caused by orthogonal axes of conventional courtyard houses.

院子里的活动场

Space for Outdoor Activities in the Courtyard

　　最终形成的单元体和庭院是不规则的六边形，其中三个边等长，这使我们能够根据日照和功能的需要进行更加灵活的组合。

The building units and courtyards produced are irregular hexagons with three sides of equal length, enabling us to make more flexible arrangement in accordance with natural lighting and functions. 

　园内的廊道沿六边形边缘布置，进入大门，学生和老师就沿着曲折的廊道行走，经过入口庭院和门厅，经过路径的分岔与合并，经过邻班的教室与重重院落的花草，抵达孩子们所在的班级。

Corridors in the yards are arranged along the edges of the hexagons. After entering the gate, teachers and pupils walk along the winding corridors, past the courtyard at the entrance and the hallway, past the forked or merged paths, past the neighboring classrooms and abundant plants, and finally arrive at their classrooms.

在我们为孩子们设计的班级单元里，没有按照规范要求把空间分割成教室和卧室两个房间，而是将两个房间合并，使孩子们的室内空间成为一个灵活的整体：教室内的集中活动围绕中心的圆柱展开，分区活动则可以和六边形的墙面结合。

In terms of the class units for children, we chose not to divide the space into classrooms and bedrooms as per the building codes. Instead, we makeit intact and flexible by merging them. Collective activities in the classrooms are carried out around the column at the center while group ones can revolve round the hexagon walls.

　在幼儿园教室的设计规范中，窗户的开启把手必须设在1.4米以上，以排除幼儿自行开窗的风险。我们以此为起点，结合幼儿和老师的身体尺度对窗户进行了特别的设计，在离地面30公分到130公分的高度内专门为孩子设计了凸窗空间，成为他们摆放玩具、阅读和照料小植物的场所，凸窗的上方才是手柄高度在1.4米的采光通风窗，这道较高的窗户内凹，方便女性老师控制开启。

As provided for in the codes for kindergarten-classroom design, knobs of windows shall be installed 1.4 metres above the ground to eliminaterisks of children opening them. Unique ideas are thus incorporated according tovaried heights of children and teachers. Bay windows ranging from 30 to 130 centimetres above the ground are designed for children to put their toys on, read books and look after plants. Above them are concaved windows with1.4-metre-high knobs for natural lighting and ventilation, for the convenience of teachers.

　在幼儿园教室的设计规范中，窗户的开启把手必须设在1.4米以上，以排除幼儿自行开窗的风险。我们以此为起点，结合幼儿和老师的身体尺度对窗户进行了特别的设计，在离地面30公分到130公分的高度内专门为孩子设计了凸窗空间，成为他们摆放玩具、阅读和照料小植物的场所，凸窗的上方才是手柄高度在1.4米的采光通风窗，这道较高的窗户内凹，方便女性老师控制开启。

As provided for in the codes for kindergarten-classroom design, knobs of windows shall be installed 1.4 metres above the ground to eliminaterisks of children opening them. Unique ideas are thus incorporated according tovaried heights of children and teachers. Bay windows ranging from 30 to 130 centimetres above the ground are designed for children to put their toys on, read books and look after plants. Above them are concaved windows with1.4-metre-high knobs for natural lighting and ventilation, for the convenience of teachers.

　退台的设计策略使我们可以在二层和三层设置庭院。这样，一到三层的每间教室都与室外的分班活动庭院直接相连，两个班级分享一个庭院。从每个庭院开始，孩子们又可以再次出发，去往图书室、音乐室、美术室、游戏室、食堂、多功能厅、小小农场以及其它班级的庭院和教室。同时，室外楼梯使二楼和三楼的孩子能够便捷地从自己的庭院加入到一楼大操场的活动中。

The strategies for terraced units allow us to put courtyards on the second and third floor so that all the classrooms are connected, in adirect way, to courtyards for specific classes, with two classes sharing onecourtyard. Starting from each courtyard, children are allowed to set off to the reading room, the music room, the painting room, the playroom, the canteen, the multipurpose hall, the mini farm as well as classrooms and courtyards for other classes. Meanwhile, the external staircases make it so convenient for childrenon the second and third floor to join in the activities on the first-floor playground from their courtyards.