Nagai City Play and Learning Exchange Facility KURUNTO

This center, featuring an indoor playground and a library, serves as a nexus for integrating play and learning. The building’s exterior design draws inspiration from its history as a former silk mill site and the magnificent mountain ranges nearby. It’s enveloped by a roof shaped like a cocoon, which not only acknowledges the site’s past but also effectively combats snow accumulation and the glare of the western sun, and reduces solar heat gain. The indoor playground and library, interconnected by a central lobby, are designed to freely facilitate movement between play and learning spaces. Additionally, the building is surrounded by three outdoor plazas, each themed around “water, greenery, and flowers,” creating a welcoming space for people to gather at any time.