# Japanese Open-Air Kindergartens Fuji Kindergarten Uses Architecture to Combine Learning and Play By Joey Haar | Published 2016-09-22 | Life-Stages Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fuji-kindergarten References: [architonic](https://www.architonic.com/en/project/tezuka-architects-fuji-kindergarten/5100019) & [tezuka-arch](http://www.tezuka-arch.com/english/index.html) Fuji Kindergarten eschews the architecture of most schools. Whereas the traditional idea of a school is a rectangular building segmented into dozens of smaller, closed off rectangular classrooms, Fuji Kindergarten abandons all these principles in favor of an environment that allows children to shape the space themselves. Designed by Japanese firm Tezuka Architects, Fuji Kindergarten is a large oval building with a diameter of 183 meters that holds approximately 500 children. The oval surrounds a central courtyard. While this shape is unique in itself, what truly separates Fuji Kindergarten from other schools is that it has no walls -- the courtyard is freely accessible from anywhere under the oval, and the oval has no partitions between areas. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.0/10 - Popularity: 92% | Activity: 81% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Alpha - Top markets: Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Life-Stages](https://www.trendhunter.com/life-stages) > [Youth](https://www.trendhunter.com/youth) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Open-air Kindergartens:** The trend of open-air kindergartens is disrupting the traditional education system by providing children with more freedom and creativity in shaping their learning environment. - **Child-centric Architecture:** The trend of child-centric architecture is revolutionizing the design of educational institutions, prioritizing the needs and development of children over traditional classroom structures. - **Play-based Learning:** The trend of play-based learning is disrupting traditional teaching methods by incorporating playful environments that stimulate children's natural curiosity and engagement. ### Who This Affects Most - **Architecture:** The architecture industry has an opportunity to cater to the growing demand for innovative and child-centric designs in educational spaces. - **Education:** The education industry can explore the implementation of open-air kindergartens and play-based learning approaches to enhance children's learning experiences. - **Early Childhood Development:** The early childhood development industry can embrace the concept of open-air kindergartens to promote holistic child development through creative and exploratory play. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Town-Like Classroom Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kindergarten-of-museum.md) - [Playful Learning Villages](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kinder-rain.md) - [Sustainable Colorful School designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wonderland-elementary-school.md) - [Nature-Promoting School Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/primary-school-1.md) - [Japanese Outdoor Teaching Spaces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-british-school.md) - [Nature-Bounding School Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cole-du-znith.md) - [Yellow-Accented School Interiors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/school-interior.md) - [Dome-Style School Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/al-fanar.md) - [Cuboidal Primary School Structures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bernardo-bader-architekten.md)