Onna Village Olive Children’s Garden

Onna Village, the site of this project, is located on the west coast near the center of Okinawa Island. It is a place rich in nature, with the majestic Mount Onna to the east, the beautiful ocean where the sun sets to the west, and a vast, deep-blue sky stretching overhead. While this landscape is simply “everyday scenery” for children who grew up in the area, we wanted them to rediscover just how precious it truly is.

The building consists of three simple volumes, with an intermediate space created between each one. This intermediate space serves as a playground, learning area, and exhibition space—in addition to the classrooms—and is designed to accommodate a variety of activities. The L-shaped corridor connecting these spaces features square windows of random sizes and placements, symbolically framing the southeastern mountain view. Meanwhile, the windows in each classroom offer expansive views of the ocean, dynamically framing the setting sun. The outdoor playground does not feature large, all-in-one play structures that limit play; instead, it is centered around an artificial hill and includes elements such as tires, corrugated pipes, and monkey bars—items designed to serve as “triggers” that inspire children to play.

Location: Onna Village, Kunigami District, Okinawa Prefecture

Use: Certified Integrated Childcare and Preschool Facility

Client: Social Welfare Corporation Bosho-kai

Design and Supervision: Passe Co., Ltd. / Hiromi Kishi, Kento Morita

Construction: Ryuko Construction Co., Ltd. and Tanaka Construction Co., Ltd. (Construction Joint Venture)

Photography: Nakasa & Partners / Futa Moriishi

Project Type: New Construction

Structure: Reinforced Concrete / 2 Stories

Size: 1,500 m²

Design Period: June 2023 – January 2025

Construction Period: February 2025 – February 2026