Crossboundaries 跨界设计工作室

Family Box

FAMILY BOX

Crossboundaries

Family Box
© Chaoying Yang

ARCHITECTS
Crossboundaries

PHOTOGRAPHS
 Chaoying Yang

AREA
2300 m²

YEAR
2011

LOCATION
Beijing, China

CATEGORY
Youth Center

Family Box
© Chaoying Yang

Family Box functions both as an indoor playground and a kindergarten for children up to twelve years old, while accomodating their parents’ needs.

It hosts different kinds of activities - from swimming, playing games to various classes ranging from music, dancing, crafting to cooking.

Family Box
© Chaoying Yang
Family Box
© Chaoying Yang

Furthermore, it has a big play area, a reading area and a generous café area.

Located at the outer corner of a park it is placed in a natural environment, which enhances the visibility of the building.

Family Box
© Chaoying Yang
Family Box
© Chaoying Yang

The different size and height between adult and child and their different angle of view was the starting point for considering Family Box should be made by two types of spaces: a kids-scale space and an adult-scale space.

How to find an inspiring balance between them? How to combine the different needs?

Despite the complex program another challenging part of this project was to deal with an existing structural system, column grid and also the building footprint - due to a different original function of the building and the involvement of another design institute in an earlier project stage.

The rigid concrete structure of the building did not seem the most suitable for the design purpose, that was counterbalanced in different ways.

Family Box
© Chaoying Yang
Family Box
© Chaoying Yang

Since the two upper floors where not yet constructed, floor plates were shifted up and down and cut outs in the floor allowed views between the two floors.

The use of independent rooms in the shape of free-standing boxes allows the activities to run parallel and it offers the most suitable environment for each.

Family Box
© Chaoying Yang
Family Box
© Chaoying Yang

The rooms have their own program or theme, they all differ from the outside space in terms of color and furniture.

They have their own story and inside life and allow the children to concentrate on the program offered. At the same time, small square window openings allows maintaining contact with the outside, and parents can have a peep inside to see what is going on.

Family Box
© Chaoying Yang
Family Box
© Chaoying Yang

The box locations are meant to break the rigid layout of the concrete columns, which is also camouflaged with a series of arches that give a different rhythm to the environment.

Visually, the common areas are treated with low contrast finishes in order to enhance and balance the space and equipments for the children.

Family Box
© Chaoying Yang
Family Box
© Chaoying Yang

The glass façade is wrapping all of the functions like a skin, following the given building perimeter. It has a printed pattern, which was developed out of simple single-line drawings made by children.

They were modified into a pattern consisting of two different sized squares, the graphic motif is reversed: the background is white-translucent and the drawing is transparent.

Family Box
© Chaoying Yang
Family Box
© Chaoying Yang

From far away the objects on the facade are recognizable, they indicate a building function related to children, fun and recreation.

Family Box
© Chaoying Yang
Family Box
© Chaoying Yang


Family Box
© Chaoying Yang
Family Box
© Chaoying Yang
Family Box
© Chaoying Yang
Family Box
© Chaoying Yang
Family Box
© Chaoying Yang
Family Box
© Chaoying Yang
Family Box
© Chaoying Yang
Family Box
© Chaoying Yang


Family Box
© Chaoying Yang
Family Box
© Chaoying Yang
Family Box
© Chaoying Yang


Family Box
Building Diagram
Family Box
Children Diagram
Family Box
Society Diagram


Family Box
Facade Pattern
Family Box
Concept Diagram


Family Box
Plan Phase 1 Basement
Family Box
2nd Floor Plan Phase 1
Family Box

Plan Phase 1 & 2


Family Box
Bookstore Diagram
Family Box
Site Plan

Crossboundaries 跨界设计工作室
T +86 10 6401 2553 F +86 10 6593 4481
Crossboundaries 跨界设计工作室
4 Gongti N Rd, Bldg. 10, Electrical Research Institute Compound, Beijing, China 100027 北京市朝阳区工体北路4号院39号楼5层518