Bureau of Education, Tainan City Government ＋Tainan Municipal Jinsyue Elementary School｜Autumn Maple Learning Hub — Teacher Professional Development Center

“Education and the process of educating is a total integral, contextual situation which includes students, teachers, parents, administration and environment.”

— Jean Houston

New Vitality for a Century-Old Forest Campus

Jinsyue Elementary School, known as a “forest school,” is graced by a century-old grand millettia tree beside the building, offering natural shade for students and teachers. Formerly a library, the building suffered from years of insufficient maintenance due to ownership complications, leading to prolonged disuse. With the establishment of the Gifted Education Resource Center and the Early Childhood Special Education Resource Center, the second floor was converted into offices, while the idle first floor was transformed into a special education activity space that provides a comfortable and therapeutic environment for professional growth.

Opening a Gateway to Nature

The original main entrance of the building was never open to the outside, forcing users to enter from a side door with no clear visual identity. The design team introduced a new entrance on the façade facing the school gate, connecting the outdoor platform with the interior. Situated under the century-old tree, this new gateway serves as both a primary access point and a shared place for teacher interaction and rest.

A Modular, Boundary-Free Space for Teacher Learning

To support activities of various scales, the interior is organized into “independent small zones” and a “flexible large space.” Independent zones include a small meeting room, a hands-on workshop, and a consultation room, all of which can be separated using operable panels or curtains, suitable for groups of 2 to 20. The flexible large space can be reorganized using movable partitions and mobile tables and chairs, forming diverse spatial units for small-group discussion or lectures and workshops of up to 100 participants. This modular system dissolves rigid boundaries, creating a highly adaptable environment for professional learning.