At the center of this ring-shaped concrete kindergarten in Puerto Rico, designed by local studio Toro Arquitectos, is an outdoor play area intended to provide children with “a safe, engaging, and functional environment.”
Ciales Kindergarten stands on the site of a former funeral home, which Toro Arquitectos renovated and supplemented with a new circular structure.
The previously “unremarkable” building was converted into office spaces, while the newly constructed concrete ring contains the spaces for children’s learning and play.
“The Ciales Kindergarten will fill an immediate need for early childhood education in Ciales and surrounding municipalities in central Puerto Rico,” said the studio. “Forty-eight children will benefit from this new facility.”
Situated in the Manatí River valley and set against dramatic limestone-karst cliffs, the two structures present a striking architectural contrast.
“We stripped all superficial decorative motifs from the existing building to intensify its condition of ‘background building’, allowing the new school to become the protagonist,” Toro Arquitectos said.
The diameter of the concrete ring matches the edge of the original building, and the ring itself is divided into 12 equal parts.
This circular form maximizes panoramic outward views and creates a protected, private area for children within.
“This design strategy not only responds to the site’s natural beauty but also fosters a safe, engaging, and functional environment for the children and staff alike,” Toro Arquitectos added.
The exterior walls feature board-formed concrete punctuated by doorways and generous openings equipped with vertical louvres. These louvres provide shade and limit visibility into the building for privacy.
