Set up for children aged 3 to 12, Art Plus in Beijing contains more than
just functional ballet, music and piano rooms. There’s also a theatre
for stage performances and a large multipurpose room. In addition, the
space contains random huts of different shapes and sizes that kids can
freely explore between lessons to enjoy a variety of different
activities.

“We had the idea to create an Art Village,” explains
Clarence Chia, co-founder of design firm AND Lab. He adds, “We wanted to
create a space that would unleash a child’s imagination.”

AND
Lab has designed the antithesis of the typical tuition centre set up –
instead of row upon row of rooms cramped tightly together, the designers
have created a space for exploration and fun. “We visited a lot of
similar children educational centres to understand the procedures and
parents’ behaviours,” says Chia.

Noise was a big consideration,
and much thought went into activating the best solutions for sound
insulation. “We realised that the hut typology was the best way to
[stop] the sound from transmitting though vibration as the huts [stand
as] independent [entities]. For classrooms that are adjoin, the shared
walls are filled with insulation material. As for the theatre, which has
higher acoustic requirements, the walls are clad with acoustic foam
panels. The glass for all classrooms are also double layered,” shares
Chia.

Given the numerous cases of child abductions from childcare
centres in China, double doors were built at the entrance for enhanced
security. Children safety concerns were also addressed with the choice
of materials: for example, laminate glass was chosen in favour of
tempered glass.

Hygiene and ease of sanitation is another
important concern in such environments. Instead of the commonly used PVC
flooring, which is easy to sanitise and reduces the impact of a fall,
AND Lab chose to use Forbo’s marmoleum, which is plant-based and
biodegrable, and offers similar upkeep and protection.

Parents in
China – like parents anywhere in the world – love to watch their
children in action, often peering in from the outside through classroom
windows. With this project, the design team decided to go with one-way
mirrored windows so parents can observe the goings on in class without
creating a disturbance.

To further engage children through art
and expand their imagination, AND Lab also collaborated with surrealist
illustrator Alice Lin on a series of murals, which were featured on the
outer walls of the huts.

“We did not want to have stereotypical
cartoons that fulfilled general expectations. We wanted something that
offered more space for imagination, [something] not bounded by an
adult’s logic,” says Chia. It’s clear the AND Lab has strived to achieve
that in every way.