# Design-Forward Rural Kindergarten Chen Yang and Liwei Guo Imagined Greenterrace Kindergarten By Kalin Ned | Published 2026-07-11 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/greenterrace-kindergarten References: [architizer](https://architizer.com/projects/greenterrace-kindergarten/) Chen Yang and Liwei Guo have developed a visionary concept called Greenterrace Kindergarten. The project has earned the Jury Winner distinction in the 2026 Architizer A+Awards. At its core, the architects propose a fundamental rethinking of [early childhood education](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/deya-day-care) within the rural context of Yunnan's famed terraced landscapes. The unbuilt Greenterrace Kindergarten project is essentially an [integrated architectural landscape](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/luxeisland-farm) that merges classrooms, play areas, farmers' rest spaces, and ecological learning platforms into a single, continuous form inspired by the stepped topography of its site. The design purposefully avoids the conventional model of an [isolated educational institution](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wak-tok-architects), instead opting for a curved, layered structure that physically and programmatically connects children with the local agricultural cycles, the seasonal rhythms of the land, and the daily life of the surrounding community. Image Credit: Chen Yang and Liwei Guo ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.9/10 - Popularity: 31% | Activity: 33% | Freshness: 84% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Alpha - Top markets: Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) > [Eco Architecture](https://www.trendhunter.com/ecoarchitecture) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Landscape-integrated Learning:** Educational spaces embedded into local terrain can transform architecture into a participatory curriculum tied to ecology, place, and daily life. - **Community-shared Schools:** Hybrid campuses that combine classrooms with civic, agricultural, and rest spaces create new models for rural education as a shared community asset. - **Agricultural Playgrounds:** Play environments shaped around farming cycles and seasonal landscapes introduce experiential learning formats that bridge childhood development and food systems awareness. ### Where This Applies - **Education:** Rural kindergartens designed around environmental immersion signal new possibilities for place-based early learning and culturally relevant pedagogy. - **Architecture:** Design-forward school concepts that merge buildings with productive landscapes expand demand for adaptive, context-sensitive rural infrastructure. - **Agriculture:** Farm-adjacent educational environments create intersections between agricultural communities and child development, positioning working landscapes as informal learning platforms. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Bright Playful Sport Playgrounds](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lego-and-nike.md) - [Greenhouse Office Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/office-for-roundtable.md) - [Lush Landscaping Projects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/landscape-architecture-studio.md) - [Playful Learning Villages](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kinder-rain.md) - [Urban Roofscape Projects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/central-yards.md) - [Foldable Greenhouse Kitchens](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/your-greenhouse-is-your-kitchen.md) - [Kindergarten Renovation Projects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gyngyszem.md) - [Cultural Green Libraries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/taichung-green.md) - [Large-Scale Recreational Landscape Projects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/recreational-landscape-project.md)