知末案例 / 教育空间 / 幼儿园

宋庆龄幼儿园四期项目环境设计丨中国上海丨上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

2025/01/24 13:30:34

查看完整案例

微信扫一扫

下载

无论作为设计人还是教育工作者，我们都不妨“有所为有所不为”——适度设计/让自然做功，这不仅有利于让环境创建过程减少浪费和排放，切实奔向“双碳”目标，更可以帮助儿童在与环境的共同成长中学会理解和敬畏世界的复杂性，习得如何更好与他人/与自然相处。

Whether as architects, designers or educators, we might consider the principle of “choosing wisely” — moderate design/letting nature take its course. This approach not only aids in minimizing waste and emissions during environmental creation but also actively contributes to achieving the “dual carbon” goal. Additionally, it assists children in comprehending and respecting the intricacies of the world as they grow alongside their environment, fostering better relationships with others and nature.

▼园所入口处远景，entrance distant view©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

“把最宝贵的东西给予儿童”——宋庆龄先生的这句名言，半个多世纪以来指引了中国福利会下属教育版块的工作者们，毋庸置疑，它也是我们这些设计人在开展宋庆龄幼儿园四期项目规划设计工作时的基本原则。

核心难点可能在于——何谓“最宝贵的东西”？对于这个问题，人们难免各持己见，不过对于降生在今天中国大都市里的孩子而言，幼托机构能够“给予”的“最宝贵的东西”显然已不只是一般意义上的安全、充裕和舒适了。

玛利亚·蒙台梭利指出，儿童会在与环境的互动中完成心理上的自我建构（该项目所覆盖的 0-3 岁尤甚），因此我们对前述“最宝贵”问题的答案，一言以蔽之就是能与不同孩子进行积极有益互动从而能够持续、有效地推动这种自我建构过程的园所环境。

Mr. Soong Ching Ling’s famous quote, “Give the most precious things to children,” has been a guiding principle for workers in the education sector of the China Welfare Institute for over half a century. Undoubtedly, it serves as a fundamental principle for us designers in the planning and design work for the Soong Ching Ling Kindergarten Phase Four project.

The core challenge lies in defining what constitutes the “most precious things.” Different opinions inevitably arise, but for children born in today’s Chinese metropolises, the “most precious things” that childcare institutions can provide extend beyond mere safety, abundance, and comfort.

Maria Montessori emphasized that children construct their psyche through interaction with the environment (especially those aged 0-3, covered by this project). Therefore, the crux of our answer to the “most precious” question lies in creating a kindergarten environment that fosters positive and beneficial interactions with different children, thus continually and effectively promoting this self-construction process.

▼院内景观概览，overview of the landscape©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

该任务的艰巨程度可想而知——每个孩子本身处在日新月异的发展阶段，不同孩子们之间差异又如此之大如此多元，一个系统得有无法想象的兼容性、普适性和复杂性才可以尽量照顾到每一位孩子在不停变化的生理和心理需求，即便天下最伟大的建筑师/设计师/教育工作者联手，也断难以提供这样的多维覆盖力。所幸还有我们的自然母亲——在这方面，自然因为其广博、丰富、真实以及巨大的不确定性，可以起到无与伦比且无可替代的作用。从让-雅克·卢梭、弗雷德里希·福禄贝尔，到约翰·杜威、玛利亚·蒙台梭利，再到蕾切尔·卡森、爱德华·威尔逊、霍华德·加德纳和理查德·洛夫，无数教育界的先行者都将自然认作滋养和疗愈儿童心灵的最佳资源。

The magnitude of this task is daunting — each child is at a stage of rapid development, and the differences between them are vast and diverse. Even with the collaboration of the world’s greatest architects/designers/educators, it is challenging to provide such comprehensive coverage.

Fortunately, Mother Nature is on our side. Due to its vastness, richness, authenticity, and inherent unpredictability, nature plays an unparalleled and irreplaceable role.

From Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Friedrich Wilhelm August Fröbel to John Dewey and Maria Montessori, and to Rachel Carson, Edward Wilson, Howard Gardner, and Richard Louv, countless education pioneers have recognized nature as the optimal resource for nurturing and healing children’s souls.

▼普通教室，classroom

©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

是啊，还能有啥比大自然更能让不同孩子找到各个维度的公约数呢——全世界已有足够的研究结果表明，在自然环境中的创造性游戏有利于帮助幼儿成长为更为健康、更为聪明、更能全面透彻地欣赏世界、更能同他人和其它物种和睦相处的人——而这基本就是教育的根本目的了。

然而何为自然？人类与之关系如何？在幼托机构环境营造过程中它该如何“为我所用”？这问题并非看上去那么简单——尽管生活的物质水平已经非常高，当下中国大城市居民对“自然”俩字儿的理解（可能由于我们城市化的速度过快过程太简单粗暴，也由于迄今为止我们的自然教育水平欠奉）普遍还相当糟糕。

不妨想一想我们中的大多数“城里人”通常是如何同自然打交道的吧……

indeed, what else but nature can help children from diverse backgrounds find common ground in various dimensions? Research worldwide confirms that creative play in natural environments aids in fostering healthier, smarter, and more empathetic individuals — fulfilling the fundamental purpose of education.

However, what constitutes “nature”? How do humans relate to it? And how should it be utilized in creating childcare environments? These questions are not as straightforward as they seem. Although material standards of living are high, the current understanding of “nature” among residents of China’s major cities is generally inadequate. This may be due to the overly rapid and crude urbanization process and the insufficient level of natural education thus far.

Consider how most urban dwellers typically interact with nature…

▼托育中心室外活动场地-欢溪，cheerful creek©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

常见场景一——森林公园中平坦大草坪上琳琅满目“美”不胜收的野餐垫/帐篷（主要用以防止沾了露水/受了“风寒”），可草坪本身就是非常不自然不环保的人造物，而公园中真正的主角森林（至少从名称上来说是主角），它能提供的信息量和可探索性远超草坪，反倒是乏人问津。

常见场景二——农田中/大棚里摆拍式、程式化的“采摘、摸鱼体验”，在很大一部分城里人看来，乡村/田园就已经完全可以代表自然，但不用细究便可知道，人类的农业生产活动，无论从目的和手段来看，都有颇多与自然生态系统大相径庭甚至背道而驰针锋相对之处。

这当然不是说在草坪上野餐或农田中采摘很糟糕，比起关在屋里“补课”、“刷题”入魔成瘾，这些户外/准户外活动已经健康多了，只是我们必须明白，它们同真正意义上的体验自然仍然相去甚远。

Common Scene 1: Lush picnic mats/tents cover the flat lawns in forest parks, primarily to prevent dew or chill. Yet, the lawn itself is an unnatural and environmentally unfriendly artificial construct, overshadowing the forest’s true potential, which remains largely unexplored.

Common Scene 2: Staged, formulaic “picking and fishing experiences” in farmlands/greenhouses. While many urbanites view rural areas as representative of nature, agricultural activities often diverge significantly from natural ecosystems in purpose and method.

These activities, while healthier alternatives to indoor pursuits, still pale in comparison to genuine experiences in nature.

▼早教中心内庭群落生境-大地断面，”The earth section”©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

而我们的孩子，需要在那种真正的自然体验中丰富心灵的经历，从而成长为更完整的人。咱们还身处发展中国家，观念方面尚有很大进步空间也很正常；发达国家在这方面确实领先不少，但也远非已经尽善尽美了，就算是与之有关的很大一部分专业人士也往往还存在认识偏差——两位美国学者在 2017 年的一项研究表明，在调研所涉的纪实类儿童图书有关自然的插画中，有 32%描绘的是单株植物而非生态系统，有一半的插图将人类简单描绘为整个自然生态系统的消费者或者说“开发利用”者（而非自然生态系统的有机组成部分），这可能会向儿童传递错误的观念，如“单株植物和一片森林拥有同样的生态功能”或是“自然（只）是为人类提供各类资源的宝库”、“自然存在的最大意义是为人类服务”等等。无论成长于哪种社会环境的孩子，都需要在合适的条件下学会更客观、全面地理解人与自然的关系——对整个人类而言，这仍然是一条需要无数人为之付出努力的漫漫长路，我们也希望在这条道上贡献些绵薄之力。

Children require authentic encounters with nature to enrich their spiritual development and become more well-rounded individuals. While there is still much room for improvement in our understanding of nature, particularly in developing countries, developed nations also face challenges. Even professionals in the field may harbor misconceptions. For instance, a 2017 study by two American scholars revealed that in the nature-related illustrations of children’s non-fiction books surveyed, 32% depicted single plants rather than ecosystems. Half of the illustrations portrayed humans simply as consumers or “exploiters” of the entire natural ecosystem, rather than as integral parts of it. This could convey incorrect concepts to children, such as “a single plant and a forest have the same ecological function” or “nature is merely a treasure trove of resources for humans” and “the greatest significance of nature’s existence is to serve humans”. Regardless of societal background, children need opportunities to objectively and comprehensively comprehend the human-nature relationship. This remains a long and arduous journey for humanity as a whole, and we endeavor to contribute our modest efforts along the way.

▼早教中心内庭群落生境-大地断面，”The earth section”©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

宋庆龄幼儿园四期项目用地颇狭长，整个地块东西宽（将近 300 米）南北浅（平均 50 米上下），三大功能板块活动中心、研究中心和托育中心的建筑单体东西走向排列完毕后，能够供儿童使用的整片室外场地自然也是稍嫌局促。

此外，身处长三角冲积平原且人类活动强度极高的上海，其自然资源禀赋相对平庸，如果说生物多样性的水平近几年可能还算有了些许回升趋势（至少在官方口径中如此），地形地貌的单一就属于所谓“先天不足”了。

The fourth phase of the Song Qingling Kindergarten project faced a peculiar challenge due to its elongated site layout. Stretching approximately 300 meters east to west and averaging only 50 meters north to south, the available outdoor space for children’s activities was somewhat constrained. Moreover, situated in Shanghai’s densely populated Yangtze River Delta, the natural resources were comparatively limited. Despite recent efforts to enhance biodiversity, the inherent monotony of the topography remained a challenge.

▼总平面图，site plan

©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

综合考虑上述前提条件，要创造出丰富多变的环境，我们得先从室外地形的重塑入手。托育中心以南就是用地红线范围内最大的空地（东西约 100 米，南北约 20 米），从毗邻的建筑功能来看，它也必然是园所中孩子们的主要活动场地。我们几乎是不假思索地将它从平地改为了“两峰夹一谷”——这首先是个简单的几何问题，在用地面积不变的前提下，“二维变三维”为儿童活动/植被生长提供了更大的表面积和体积，这当然是对基地的更充分利用。

Taking these factors into account, reshaping the outdoor terrain was paramount to creating a diverse environment. The southern portion adjoining the Daycare Center, the largest open space within the redline boundary, was transformed from flat land to a “valley between two peaks,” maximizing surface area and volume and facilitating children’s activities and vegetation growth.

▼植物平面图-3 号楼植被，landscape plan -no.3 building©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

于平原环境中堆“假山”这事儿在咱们的文化传统中历史悠久，不过不同于苏中、苏南地区的文人在私家园林中以叠石方式对自然界的完整山体进行的映射，我们塑造的土坡更像是随手在那些山体上切了一小块儿，以 1:1 的比例搬到了园所中。目的完全不同，手段自然迥异——前者是文化范畴成人化的模仿-凝练-象征，缩微和抽象是顺理成章的选择；后者则是在物理层面向幼儿提供丰富而鲜活的地形、空间、质感和生物群落，它必须是原尺寸的、具体的。

While the concept of artificial hills in the plain environment has deep cultural roots, our approach differed significantly. Unlike the miniature imitations found in private gardens, our earthen slopes were transplanted directly from nature, maintaining their original scale and specificity. The objective shifted from cultural emulation to providing children with rich terrain, space, textures, and biological communities in their true dimensions.

▼植物平面图-1 号楼植被，landscape plan -no.1 building©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

托育中心室外活动场地“两峰一谷”解析

Explanation of the ‘two peaks and one valley’ of outdoor activity areas in childcare centres

我们并没有打算在这样的高度自然化的场地上规划太多的器械——相关研究表明，地形地貌的丰富远比器械的多样更为重要——孩子们天生有自己创造游戏空间的需求，儿童游戏场地上的器械往往以特定的姿势被安装在固定的位置，并被赋予了某种既定的使用方式，既无法令儿童根据需求重新安排空间，又鲜少鼓励更多样更有创造性的用法，这与教育的目的相悖；而更多留白，则有利于确保场地的“通用性”，令同一块场地经年累月地敞开胸怀，向身心条件各异的孩子提供尽量多的可能性，使他们更容易感受到自己的能力、获取被尊重的感觉，激发他们的创造力。

Intending to avoid overcrowding the site with equipment, we relied on research indicating that varied topography is more crucial than diverse apparatus. Children naturally seek to create their play spaces, and fixed equipment limits their autonomy and creativity, contrary to educational objectives. Embracing open space fosters adaptability, respect, and creativity, nurturing a sense of capability and inspiring innovation.

▼托育中心室外活动场地“两峰一谷”，the west side of the outdoor activity area, dubbed “Two Peaks and One Valley,”©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

系统而言，儿童的整体发展中如下几个领域的需求都需要我们在环境设计中去一一回应。

身体发展——大部分户外游戏场所都会吸引儿童进行不同的活动从而促进身体的全面发育，不过如前所述，我们希望在这方面做尽可能得更好一些，多变的地形大大丰富了场地的玩法——奔跑、跳跃、攀登、搬运、建构……幼儿的大肌肉运动能力、空间知觉、平衡觉和知觉运动技都能得到比在平地上更加充分的锻炼。

尽管并不平坦的地面必然会带来身体倾覆的可能性，但正如日比野拓老师指出的那样，大千世界危机四伏，一圈围墙如果彻底割裂了内外两个天地之间的底层逻辑恐怕就将造成更多的悲剧——负责的幼托机构非但不应该保证那种“绝对意义上的安全”，反而应该在园所环境中提供适度的危险，这样会更有利于儿童自我保护意识的形成——只要我们控制好坡度，保持连续/避免突变，就能把风险控制在可以容忍一定程度的翻滚而不会发生跌落的合理范围内。不仅如此，各种坡度形成的不同攀登难度，还有利于循序渐进地增强幼儿的自我效能感。

一般而言，在所有类型的种植地表中，草坪对各种运动的普适性最强，但正如前面提到一嘴的，草坪也有一些常被忽视的致命弱点——它维护成本高（经常需要借助人力修剪整齐和清除异己）、灌溉用水量大（水分损失快同时根系浅利用土壤中水分的能力差）、物种多样性水平很低（通常仅仅由单个物种构成）、生态价值极为有限（各种动物无处藏身且无食可觅），加之景色单一，如果占比过大反而会降低环境质量。故而在保证运动所需的面积前提下，我们布置了生物量和多样性都相当可观的草甸、灌木和乔木，它们也可以为运动中的孩子们生产更为充足的氧气，帮助他们的内在系统进行更充分的运作。

Physical Development:Varied terrain encourages a wide range of activities, promoting holistic physical development. Although uneven ground poses a tipping risk, controlled slopes within reasonable limits enhance children’s self-efficacy through gradual climbing challenges.

▼丰富的坡状地貌给孩子和其他物种以更多的可能，rich sloping landscapes give more possibilities for children and other species©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

认知发展——我们尝试充分调动幼儿的所有感官来发展认知能力——尽管在今天的世界，无处不在的电子视听体验已经将成人和孩子湮没，但屏幕、耳机或者哪怕是 VR 眼镜，只是帮助我们获得了海量的间接经验，相形之下，在自然中的直接体验，可以说是环境同孩子们的更多感官之间产生的更复合、更深刻、更健康同时交互性也更强的信息流，能让他们的认知能力得到更全面的发展。

在这片场地上，孩子们的眼睛可以学着捕捉大自然中的各种形状、各种颜色、各种状态的视觉要素；他们的耳朵可以在对虫鸣、鸟啼、水流、雨滴、风舞、叶落……的聆听中不断变得敏感，甚至备不住有朝一日能用来感知草长、花开；他们可以通过感受泥土的软与岩石的硬、阴面的冷与阳面的热、陶瓷的光滑与树皮的粗糙来让自己的触觉不断发育；甚至，因为大量可食用植物的存在，在成人的监护或者帮助下，他们可以小心翼翼地尝试用舌头的不同部位来品尝这个世界。

尽管园所中已遍布“感官因子”，我们还是设计了一处迷宫，构成迷宫墙体的元素有习性各异的植物、高度各异的塑石、音频各异金属管……它们能让孩子的各种感官更高密度地得到应有的刺激。值得注意的是，与那些使用者偶尔来访的同类不同，幼托机构中的迷宫免不了要高频次面对它的用户，如何保持路径的新鲜感就成了它的成败关键。我们借助了排列组合的力量，在迷宫的若干节点设置了双向甚至三向开合的栅栏门，每多一个此类节点，可能的路径数量就可以乘以 2 或者 3，这样一来，玩法很容易就可以达到三位数，我们寻寻觅觅的“新鲜感”也就随之而来了。

Cognitive Development: Direct nature experiences engage multiple senses, fostering deeper cognitive development than screens or gadgets. Children learn to observe shapes, colors, and textures, attune their ears to natural sounds, and explore tactile sensations, laying a robust cognitive foundation.

▼具备高度通用性的场地可以支持难以胜数的创造性游戏，ahighly versatile venue that can support a myriad of creative games©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

审美发展——审美可以被定义为对自然和艺术之美的敏感，这种敏感的培养必须建立在持续不断的多样化的体验基础上。一方面，幼儿本来就普遍拥有以创造性的方式体验自然之美的天赋，我们利用地形来尽可能地还原大自然的多样性和多变性，这种信息密度、信息质量以及自我更新能力均远高于纯人工环境的审美客体，可以向孩子提供近乎无限的高质量审美机会。

另一方面，孩子们又不应仅仅是单纯的观察者/体验者，我们试图用合适的环境要素鼓励他们通过绘画、雕塑、舞蹈等艺术形式（尽管还很初级），即时/就地再现他们在自然中观察和体验到的一切。

坡地是天然的观演空间，我们在这里用旧枕木顺坡形成了露天看台坐席（在寒冷的季节，它们可以同充气体结合，形成透明的礼堂），置身其间，可以看到视线焦点“舞台”背景中的谷地里树立着一些预留索孔的木桩，山坡中则暗藏多根螺杆，在风和日丽时，两者可遥相呼应让一道道钢索穿行其间，挂起画布、纸张、一次性雨衣或者各种创造性、开放性的画材，将谷地转换为露天的画室和美术馆。

同在教室内相比，在自然环境中进行创作是个更随机、更即兴的过程，更有助于孩子们抓住受周边环境激发而产生的稍纵即逝的灵感。

艺术是跨越年龄、性别、国籍、社会阶层、文化背景的语言，一个终身具有艺术知觉的人，既能更容易更宽容地理解这个世界，也能找到更好的方式对外表达自己，这些在自然中的艺术体验无疑将有助于他们成为这样的人。

Artistic Expression:Natural landscapes serve as canvases for artistic endeavors, encouraging children to express their observations and experiences through painting, sculpture, and dance in spontaneous, improvisational ways.

▼少而精的设施也都与坡地相得益彰，fewer but better amenities all complement the slopes©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

社会性发展——这方面的整体目标是让儿童与他人建立关系并从中获得享受。我们试图通过在场地中鼓励更具合作性的游戏来引发孩子间更多的积极互动。

户外环境和儿童对自然材料的使用通常会促进不同形式的沟通，对于材料使用方法的新发现和新颖的想法，往往能激发儿童之间的讨论。流水/静水/露珠、枯枝/败叶/落英、石块/砂砾/细沙/泥土等等在这个环境中俯拾皆是的自然材料（它们往往还可以因为彼此之间的各种异同关系而成组），都可以成为促进语言能力发展的极佳道具，幼儿会很乐意交流因它们而得到的想法与经历，这将非常有利于他们之间关系的自然形成与健康维系。

Social Development: Collaborative games and interactions facilitated by natural materials encourage communication and relationship-building among children, nurturing social skills in an organic, inclusive environment.

▼教室，classroom©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

情绪情感发展——健康的情绪情感发展将使幼儿终身获益，相关（尤其是生态心理学方面的）研究表明，在自然环境中的积极经历对幼儿此方面的发展十分重要。针对比自己更“弱小”生命体的照料活动，可以帮助幼儿从负面情绪中恢复，形成一种作为培育者的自我认识。学者们建议以尊重其它生命体和真正关心自然的状态来引导自然环境中的创造性游戏。关心其他物种和它们的栖息地往往能增强个体的成就感，培养关怀他人的意识。我们塑造的丰富地貌可以向其它物种提供栖息、繁衍、成长的空间——我们有理由相信从小能习以为常地观察甚至参与自然过程的孩子有更大概率懂得更好地同其它物种分享我们的地球家园，不仅如此，这也有利于培养他们关怀他人的意识。

Emotional and Social Development:Healthy emotional and social development in early childhood is of lifelong benefit, as research, particularly in the field of ecological psychology, indicates that positive experiences in natural environments are crucial for children in this regard. Engaging in activities caring for life forms smaller and more vulnerable than themselves can aid children in recovering from negative emotions and forming a self-awareness as nurturers. Scholars suggest guiding creative play in natural environments with a mindset of respecting other.

▼托育中心阅读教室，reading room©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

如果说前述自然性场地对孩子们而言可能缺乏明确的“领地边界”，那么托育中心西端，外号“五曲花径”的坡道就可以弥补这一缺憾，几乎每个适龄班级都可以领养一小块园地，让孩子们种植/呵护“属于自己”的“庄稼”，这样的积极经历当然有利于培养健康的自我概念、内在控制力，强化自我认知，避免“自然缺失症”中那种生理学和心理学意义上的感知窄化。

因为地面空间毕竟有限，整个园所很大一部分建筑的屋面也都被各种植物“征用”了（除了生态学范畴的目的，规划指标中的绿地率下限并不容易达到也是个动因）。

活动中心屋顶花园中的“高山”草甸（该楼使用钢结构屋盖，能够承载的覆土较薄，只能以草本植物为主）从 2 楼屋面洋洋洒洒蔓延至 3 楼屋面，不同年龄的孩子们均可以在此上蹿下跳、翻滚嬉戏。

If the naturalistic areas mentioned earlier might lack clearly defined “territorial boundaries” for children, then at the western end of the childcare center, nicknamed the “Winding Path of Flowers,” this deficiency is compensated for. Nearly every appropriate age group can adopt a small plot of land, allowing children to plant/care for “their own” crops. Such positive experiences undoubtedly contribute to fostering a healthy self-concept, internal locus of control, strengthening self-awareness, and avoiding the physiological and psychological perceptual narrowing seen in “nature deficit disorder.”Due to limited ground space, much of the rooftop of the entire facility is also “claimed” by various plants (aside from ecological purposes, meeting the minimum green space ratio in planning indicators is not easy).The “Mountain Meadow” on the rooftop garden of the activity center (utilizing a steel structure roof capable of supporting relatively thin soil cover, mainly with herbaceous plants) sprawls from the roof of the second floor to the roof of the third floor, where children of different ages can play, jump, roll, and frolic.

▼托育中心阅读教室，reading room©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

在“高山”草甸包围中的洞天福地——活动中心屋顶花园解析

The roof garden of the Activity Centre, a heavenly place surrounded by ‘alpine’ meadows

位于园所入口处的动力中心（拥有钢筋混凝土井字梁屋盖，可以承载 2500mm 厚的覆土）则自恃固若金汤，让其朝向赤道的“背面”完全藏匿在拥有大小乔木-灌木-地被这样完整的垂直结构的树林之下。虽然按目前的计划，这片颇具规模的坡状林地暂时不会对园内幼儿开放，但由于较少受到人类活动的扰动，备不住孩子们将来反而能从这一斑块贡献的生物多样性中间接受益。

Located at the entrance of the facility, the power center (with a reinforced concrete cruciform beam roof capable of bearing 2500mm thick soil cover) is nestled completely beneath a forest of trees with a vertical structure consisting of large and small trees, shrubs, and ground cover, facing away from the equator. Although this large sloping forest area is temporarily closed to children in the facility according to current plans, due to less disturbance from human activities, children will indirectly benefit from the biodiversity contributed by this area in the future.

▼将一片林地驮在“背上”的动力中心，apower centre that carries a piece of woodland on its ‘back’©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

不过，我们还是不敢大言不惭宣称园所环境已经“足够自然”——有生态学常识的朋友都明白，别说是斑块规模、廊道连通性这些了，光靠园艺市场/宠物市场（哪怕算上淘宝、闲鱼），单是生物多样性这块儿就属于八字儿没一撇——很大一部分乡土物种都因为看上去过于稀松平常而无法买到（就算能买到也往往仅限于小众爱好者之间的切磋，很难满足景观工程的规模；除此之外，有些乡土物种“涉保”不能作为商品进行交易也是个问题），而一个乡土物种大量缺席的环境，其生物多样性的真实水平就会极为可疑。

However, we dare not claim boldly that the environment of the facility is “sufficiently natural.” Friends with ecological knowledge understand that not only patch size and corridor connectivity but also biodiversity, relying solely on the gardening market/pet market (even including platforms like Taobao and Xianyu), is still in its infancy. Many indigenous species are difficult to obtain because they appear too ordinary. Even if they can be purchased, they are often limited to exchanges between niche enthusiasts and hardly meet the scale of landscaping projects. Additionally, some indigenous species are protected and cannot be traded as commodities, which poses a problem. In an environment where a large number of indigenous species are absent, the true level of biodiversity becomes highly questionable.

▼孕育着无限生机的本杰士堆，the Ben & Jerry’s pile of infinite life ©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

因此，建筑师/设计师和施工人员们卯足了劲儿，目前也只能算是初步搭了个比较自然的骨架，此后我们至少还需要数个春秋，借助风、虫、鸟的力量，让更多的乡土物种自愿、半自愿或者身不由己地在此安家落户，让具有动态稳定性的生物群落逐渐形成（那时候，曾出现在种植总平面上的不少名字，应该已经退出了历史舞台）。在此期间，本杰士堆和蚯蚓塔这样的颇具科普价值与互动性的生态设施不但能够帮助我们把进度稍微加快一点儿，还可以通过对厨余垃圾的有效利用减少一些资源浪费，增加孩子们的在这个自然过程中的参与感和直观体验。

Therefore, architects/designers and construction workers have exerted considerable effort, but at present, it can only be considered as an initial framework. We will need several more years, with the help of wind, insects, and birds, to let more indigenous species voluntarily, semi-voluntarily, or involuntarily settle here, gradually forming dynamic and stable biological communities (by then, many names that appeared on the planting master plan should have exited the stage of history). During this period, ecological facilities with significant scientific and interactive value like the Benjamin Heap and Worm Tower can not only help us accelerate progress slightly but also reduce some resource waste through effective utilization of kitchen waste, increasing children’s participation and intuitive experience in this natural process.

▼孕育着无限生机，pile of infinite life ©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

所以严格来说，其实我们采取了折衷的做法，首先在尊重自然法则的前提下进行规划/设计/营造，让整个园所先拥有一个对其它生命体足够友好的物理环境格局，静候自然做功来将它变得更加丰饶、健康、厚实；在耐心等待自然母亲她老人家施展魔力妙笔生花的同时，我们还是越俎代庖抢先精心安排了四个大小不一的群落生境，以便让那些先期入园的孩子们也能“有足够的东西可看”。

Thus, strictly speaking, we have adopted a compromise. Firstly, on the premise of respecting natural laws, we plan/design/build, allowing the entire facility to have a physical environmental pattern that is friendly to other life forms, awaiting nature to enrich it further. While patiently waiting for Mother Nature to work her magic, we have proactively arranged four differently sized habitat communities so that children who enter the facility early can also have “enough to see.”

▼托育中心室外活动场地“两峰一谷”，the west side of the outdoor activity area, dubbed “Two Peaks and One Valley,”©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

托育中心室外活动场地“两峰一谷”中西侧的土坡上，我们模拟了一条溪流（准确来说是山溪到达谷地的那一小段儿），从高处流下的过程确保了水中较高的含氧量，一泓清冽的“山泉”向喜欢高氧、凉爽的溪流物种提供了生存保障，也为孩子们带来了视觉、听觉、触觉等多种感官的乐趣（这里缺少自然的广袤尺度来形成自动的蒸发–降雨循环，故而要借力于水泵），尤其是在夏日，它可能是整个场地上最具吸引力的位置，毕竟在天然水体流速缓慢、常见富营养化的上海，能在悦耳的淙淙流水声中，用手足尽情感受清澈和凉爽，并非唾手可得的享受。

On the slope on the west side of the outdoor activity area, dubbed “Two Peaks and One Valley,” we simulated a stream (more precisely, the segment of a mountain stream reaching the valley). The process of flowing down from a height ensures a higher oxygen content in the water. A clear “mountain spring” provides a living guarantee for stream species that prefer high oxygen and coolness and brings children various sensory pleasures such as visual, auditory, and tactile (lacking the vast scale of nature to form an automatic evaporation-rainfall cycle, it relies on water pumps). Especially in summer, it may be the most attractive location on the entire site, as in the slow-moving natural water bodies and common eutrophication in Shanghai, it is not easy to enjoy the clarity and coolness in the pleasant sound of flowing water by hand and foot.

▼托育中心室外活动场地“两峰一谷”，the west side of the outdoor activity area, dubbed “Two Peaks and One Valley,”©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

托育中心“欢溪静潭”解析

Analysis of the childcare centre ‘Huanxi Jingtan’

踏着溪中的岩石顺流而下，孩子们还可抵达一汪浅潭，潭中有开花的浮叶植物，潭边的挺水植物和河石则对浅潭形成半包围，限定出了若干可以蹲、坐的安全位置。同在上游溯溪相比，在相对平静的潭水之畔掬水、抛石、赏花、“泛舟” 则是一种大相径庭的欢愉。

Descending the rocks in the stream, children can reach a shallow pool where flowering floating-leaved plants grow. Water-side plants and river stones semi-enclose the pool, creating several safe spots for squatting and sitting. Compared to upstream exploration, playing with water, throwing stones, admiring flowers, and “boating” at the relatively calm poolside are vastly different pleasures.

▼上游溪水的欢脱，cheerfulness of the upper stream©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

下雨的日子里，孩子们会有另一个去处——连接托育中心与研究中心的平台下方的灰空间中，有一个被浅溪包围的小岛。浅溪以砂石为底，在足够温暖的日子，孩子可以赤足在其间徜徉，尝试捕捉栖身于此的小鱼、蝌蚪；小岛以倒伏的枯木和阴生植物为主，与前述阳光下的“山”间溪流相比，它更复杂也更具神秘色彩，容易激发孩子们的探索欲望。

On rainy days, children have another destination—the gray space below the platform connecting the childcare center with the research center. There is a small island surrounded by a shallow stream, which has a bottom of sand and gravel. On warm days, children can wade barefoot in it and try to catch small fish and tadpoles inhabiting here. The island is mainly composed of fallen trees and shade-tolerant plants. Compared to the sunlit “mountains” and streams mentioned above, it is more complex and mysterious, likely to stimulate children’s desire for exploration.

▼下游潭水的娴静，the calm of the downstream©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

托育中心“浅溪孤岛”解析

Analysis of ‘Shallow Creek Island’, a childcare centre

为了方便教师看护幼儿，也为了让美景能从更多角度欣赏，这一溪一岛被一圈亚克力板包围着，幼儿们可以通过一座钢结构小桥探访小岛。为了让这种造访不至于“流于表面”，我们还安排了一条长长的亚克力管道，它从浅溪上掠过穿入岛中的泥土。孩子们钻入管道，就可以近距离观察到土壤的断面，准确来说，是可以同时看到风和日丽草长莺飞的地面景色同黑暗潮湿盘根错节的地下世界。

To facilitate teachers in supervising the children and to allow the beautiful scenery to be appreciated from multiple angles, the stream and island are surrounded by a circle of acrylic panels. Children can visit the island via a small steel bridge. To make this visit more than just superficial, we also included a long acrylic tunnel that passes over the shallow stream and burrows into the island’s soil. By crawling into the tunnel, children can closely observe the soil’s cross-section, seeing both the sunny, grassy surface and the dark, moist, tangled roots of the underground world simultaneously.

▼长长的亚克力管道，a long acrylic tunnel©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

▼学会从更多“非惯常”的角度观察世界，learning to see the world from more ‘unconventional’ perspectives©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

也许年幼如他们，还无法从理性上明白两个世界之间的“辩证统一”，但有了这样的早期感性认识，他们迟早有一天会理解，世界的美好首先有赖于它的复杂性——甭管其它生命体看上去是“美美”的还是“丑丑”的；是“光鲜”的还是“肮脏”的；也无论是“可爱”的，抑或“可怕”的；是“大网红”、抑或“小透明”，都是这个世界不可或缺的一部分，正是它们时时、处处互相依存，地球经过 46 亿年的演化形成的生命奇迹才可以周而复始地延续下去。

Maybe, at their young age, they cannot rationalize the “dialectical unity” between the two worlds. Still, with such early sensory understanding, they will understand one day that the beauty of the world depends first on its complexity—regardless of whether other life forms appear “beautiful” or “ugly”; “glamorous” or “dirty”; “lovable” or “terrifying”; “big stars” or “nobodies,” they are all indispensable parts of this world. It is precisely because they depend on each other at all times and everywhere, the miracle of life formed by the earth’s evolution over 4.6 billion years can continue endlessly.

▼在此小坐片刻，动摇一下自己对世界的固有认识，Sit here for a few moments and shake up your perceptions of the world©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

托育中心“婆罗洲河口”解析

Analysis of the childcare centre ‘Borneo Bayou’

不过，这个藏在灰空间中的小岛，也不可能在所有天气条件下迎接所有状态的孩子；另一方面，也并非所有适合孩子们近距离观摩的物种都可以全年生活在上海的户外，因此，我们在托育中心的入口大厅中，楔入了一处源于热带雨林和红树林的群落生境。热带雨林和红树林都是地球上生物多样性水平很高、信息密度很大的生态系统（却又都在遭到人类活动的巨大威胁），种内关系、种间关系都很丰富，同时底层的阴生植物可选范围很大（基本上，能在室内环境内开花的植物均在此列），因此非常适合在室内环境中展示。

However, this small island hidden in the gray space is not able to accommodate all children under all weather conditions; on the other hand, not all species suitable for children to observe at close range can live outdoors in Shanghai throughout the year. Therefore, in the entrance hall of the daycare center, we have introduced a community habitat derived from tropical rainforests and mangroves—tropical rainforests and mangroves are ecosystems on Earth with high levels of biodiversity and information density (but are also under significant threat from human activities). The relationships within species and between species are rich, and there is a wide range of understory shade-loving plants (basically, any plant that can flower indoors is included here), making it very suitable for display in indoor environments.

▼近处的长鼻猴、大王花和远处的海岛都以二维的方式出席，Proboscis monkeys, dahlia flowers in the near distance and islands are all present in two dimensions©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司

我们最终选择将世界上最古老的婆罗洲河口周边的雨林作为蓝本，从地面到倒伏的枯木、从岩壁到大树的枝杈，蕨类、兰花、海芋、秋海棠、猪笼草们已经开始争夺每一个可供钻营的角落，每日数次的降水和喷淋保证了它们所需的水分和空气湿度。始终维持同一水位的淡水和海水被一片玻璃隔开，一根倒伏的枯木算是在两者之间的桥梁，可以在陆上活动的动物自然可以利用这样的桥梁频繁“免签”出入境，无法上岸的淡水鱼和海水鱼则只能每天隔着玻璃四目相对，为我们形成一幅多少有点儿超现实色彩的画卷。

We ultimately chose the rainforest surrounding the oldest estuary in Borneo as the blueprint. From the ground to fallen dead trees, from rock walls to branches of large trees, ferns, orchids, taro, autumn camellias, and pitcher plants have begun to compete for every available corner, with daily rainfall and spray ensuring their needed moisture and air humidity. Freshwater and seawater, maintained at the same level, are separated by a piece of glass, with a fallen dead tree serving as a bridge between the two. Animals that can move on land can naturally use such bridges to enter and exit frequently without restrictions. Freshwater fish and seawater fish unable to go ashore can only face each other through the glass every day, forming a somewhat surreal picture for us.

在这个环境中，我们还尝试了二维科普绘画+三维实景的组合——室内的空间毕竟有限，我们只能让环节动物门、软体动物门、节肢动物门、以及脊索动物门中的鱼纲、两栖纲、爬行纲中的一些小个子种可以在此落户，但婆罗洲的代表物种犀鸟、长鼻猴和大王花这些大家伙，我们就委屈它们同远处的山与海一道生活在墙绘之中了，这样的法子一方面显然是为了弥补恒温动物（因为它们的基础代谢水平太高，简而言之就是进食多、排泄多、活动范围大，“破坏性”往往也不小，置身这样的小环境未免对双方而言都不太合适）缺席造成的遗憾，另一方面则是为了形成科普信息的完整层次，带来更多的趣味性。

这处群落生境不仅仅是为“正面”大厅中的孩子们准备的，它“背面”的墙上开了两处圆形的窗洞，镶嵌了两片玻璃固定扇，一墙之隔是园所医务室的留观室，群落生境中的生机勃勃有利于减少甚至消除留观室中的小可怜们的孤独和恐惧，事实上，“正面”和“背面”并无视线上的优劣之分——从大厅的一侧固然可以找到更多的视点/视角，尤其是用来观看水中的鱼、虾，但如果是细看陆地上的某些局部，比如在落叶堆中寻找一只蛙或者在树枝上搜索一条蜥蜴，那么比起大厅，留观室就简直像个看台上的 VIP 包厢了。

In this environment, we also attempted a combination of two-dimensional popular science paintings and three-dimensional scenes—since indoor space is limited, we can only allow certain small species of fish, amphibians, and reptiles from the phylum Chordata, class Fish, Amphibia, and Reptilia to settle here. However, for the representative species of Borneo such as the rhinoceros hornbill, proboscis monkey, and king flower, we had to compromise and let them live in the mural alongside distant mountains and seas. This approach is obviously to compensate for the absence caused by homeothermic animals (because their basal metabolic rate is too high, in short, they eat a lot, excrete a lot, have a large range of activity, and their “destructiveness” is often not small. Being in such a small environment is not suitable for both sides) and to form a complete level of popular science information, bringing more fun.

This community habitat is not only prepared for the children in the “front” hall but also has two circular windows on the “back” wall, embedded with two fixed glass panes. On the other side of the wall is the observation room of the medical room of the kindergarten. The vibrant community habitat helps to reduce or even eliminate the loneliness and fear of the poor children in the observation room. There is no difference in the quality of sight between the “front” and “back”—although more viewpoints/angles can be found on one side of the hall, especially for watching fish and shrimp in the water. However, if you look closely at certain parts of the land, such as searching for a frog in a pile of fallen leaves or a lizard on a branch, then compared to the hall, the observation room is like a VIP box on a platform.

活动中心内庭群落生境“大地断面”解析

Analysis of the ‘Earth Section’ of the habitat of the inner garden community of the activity centre

如果说，前述三处群落生境的参与者都只是孩子，那么活动中心内庭中的“大地断面”则甚至有一多半儿是为家长准备的——不同于托育，活动中心里可能时有家长要全程等在门外，这样的时间今天全国大多数城镇家长（尤其是爸爸们）。“大地断面”的设计包藏了各种阻挠家长久坐沉迷移动网络的“祸心”，the “Earth Section”©BIaRCHITECTES 上海博意建筑规划设计有限公司。

如果能在环境中植入一些亲子可以共同欣赏的自然元素，也许我们就可以无声地倡导更具建设性地去“消磨”时间了。下图中这个香蕉形的大家伙就是此类道具，通体被深蓝、浅蓝、浅灰、白色的碎瓷片覆盖的它，外侧有几处凹入，可以视作一种并不鼓励久坐的硬质“露天沙发”；内侧则环抱着一汪清池，池中既无“沉舟”也不见“千帆”，身材袖珍的白云金丝鱼和条纹小鲃穿梭其间怡然自得，清池的一隅是一小片陆地，以大大小小的河石为履伸入水中，侧卧于此的一株病树前头，草木葳蕤，一片生机。

If we can incorporate some natural elements that parents and children can enjoy together in the environment, perhaps we can silently advocate for a more constructive way to “spend” time. The giant banana-shaped object in the image below is such a prop, covered with deep blue, light blue, light gray, and white porcelain shards all over. Its outer side has several indentations, which can be seen as a hard “outdoor sofa” that does not encourage prolonged sitting; the inner side is surrounded by a clear pool, where there are no “sunken boats” or “thousand sails” in sight. The petite white cloud golden fish and striped barbel swim happily among them. In one corner of the clear pool is a small piece of land, with large and small river stones as stepping stones extending into the water. In front of a sick tree lying on its side, the vegetation is lush, and full of vitality.

一块厚达数厘米的超白钢化玻璃阻止了池水倾泻而出，在内庭院周而复始的光影变化中巨细靡遗地向面前的人们展示着这段水陆交界处的大地断面的精彩。为了让气氛更加恰如其分，我们让前方的草地缓缓坡向玻璃，引导家长、孩子们席地而坐，更耐心、细致地品读自然之美，并在它的感召之下，进行一些更阳光更有意义的互动。

A thick, super-white tempered glass block prevents the pool water from pouring out, showing the splendid earth section of this water-land boundary in the courtyard in the ever-changing light and shadow. To create a more appropriate atmosphere, we gently slope the grass in front of the glass, guiding parents and children to sit on the ground, patiently and meticulously appreciating the beauty of nature, and under its influence, engaging in more meaningful and sunny interactions.

在一个遍地自然缺失症患者的环境中，我们没法儿指望每一位沉迷网络的家长都感动得涕泪横流，立马儿脱胎换骨洗心革面恨不能把手机都扔到爪哇国，但这样的真善美种子里，隔三岔五总有几颗能在家长和孩子的心中安营扎寨生根发芽直至开花结果吧……

如今第一批孩子已经入园，我们也得以开始进入下一阶段——通过观察师生对园所环境的使用状况来检验和调整自己之前的想法/做法——世界如此复杂，人们的需求如此多元且多变，甭管那些多么优秀多么能掐会算的建筑师/设计师，也不可能在作品投入使用之前，就能在所有环节上找到最优解。

即便单论设计专业人士自矜的美学范畴，正如艺术总是来源于生活但其实从不可能真正达到生活的高度那样，比起大自然和使用者，我们这些设计人员，总难以完全避免刻意、做作和偏狭，往往不能独力“创造”出最具美学价值的作品。

因此最棒的场所，至少从理论上来说，应该是多种行为主体共同的作品——如果如前所述，我们能假大自然与使用者之手，那么作品可能会具有我们最初无法想象的持久活力和复合美感。

最后我们还是要说一句，幼托机构毕竟不是栖息地，自然在这里是手段而非目的，我们不可能也不必以原教旨主义般的态度来复制自然。再说更重要的是，自然本质上来说也可以理解为一种高度复杂的过程——这和孩子的成长有一定的相似性——不过不同的是，如果说成长这个过程往往具备一定的目标，那么自然这个过程则完全没有目标，更不可能在某个“最美瞬间”停下步伐。

所以对来访者而言，并不存在一个“最理想时间点”；而对孩子们来说，也不会有某一届的他们成为“最特别幸运儿”。

园所主入口外的上海宋庆龄早期儿童研究中心标志，它在一定程度上体现了我们对早期教育中师生关系的理解——弱小而尚难自保的幼儿固然需要成人呵护和引导，但它应当是有限度的——以承认幼儿同样是独立的个体为前提，以促进他们不断实现自我建构并最终茁壮成长为合格公民为目标。

In an environment where natural deficiencies are widespread, we cannot expect every parent addicted to the internet to be moved to tears and immediately discard their phones and start anew. However, in such seeds of truth, goodness, and beauty, there are always a few that can take root and sprout in the hearts of parents and children from time to time until they bloom and bear fruit…

Now the first group of children has entered the kindergarten, and we are able to move on to the next stage — evaluating and adjusting our previous ideas/practices by observing how teachers and students use the environment of the kindergarten. The world is so complex, and people’s needs are so diverse and ever-changing. No matter how excellent or skilled architects/designers are, they cannot find the best solution in all aspects before the work is put into use.

Even in terms of the aesthetic domain, which design professionals pride themselves on, just as art always comes from life but never really reaches the height of life, compared to nature and users, we designers always find it difficult to completely avoid being deliberate, contrived, and narrow-minded, and often cannot independently create works with the highest aesthetic value.

Therefore, the best places, at least theoretically, should be the result of the joint efforts of various actors — if, as mentioned earlier, we can join hands with nature and users, then the work may have a lasting vitality and a compound sense of beauty that we could not imagine at the beginning.

生命的长度有限且难以预测，但其广度和厚度/深度/高度还是大体可控的，希望这方天地可以陪伴/帮助尽可能多的孩子成长为尽可能完整尽可能健康尽可能有趣的人——人类在 4 岁（一说 3.5 岁，甚至 2.5 岁）之前的记忆往往会被清空，这些有趣的灵魂将来恐怕无法在海马体中寻回 0-3 岁间在此享受的快乐时光，但只要这几度寒暑确实能在潜移默化间令他们受益终身，相信在造园大业中居功至伟的自然母亲也会为之莞尔的——那我们这些借花献“佛”外加“坐”享其成的设计工作者怎么还能好意思觍着脸斤斤计较耿耿于怀呢？

Finally, we would like to say that early childhood education institutions are not natural habitats after all, and nature here is a means rather than an end. We cannot and do not need to replicate nature with a dogmatic attitude. What’s more important is that nature can be understood as a highly complex process — which has some similarities with children’s growth. The difference is that the process of growth often has certain goals, while the process of nature has no goals at all, and it is even less likely to stop at some “most beautiful moment”. So, for visitors, there is no “most ideal time”; and for children, there will not be a certain group of them becoming “the most special and lucky ones”.