Pingtung County DA CHENG Art Experimental Primary School｜Comfort Room

“ Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself. ”

—John Dewey

Pingtung’s Dacheng Experimental Elementary School centers its pedagogy on human-focused arts education, nurturing “life artists” who explore through the five senses and develop cross-disciplinary imagination. As the school’s transformation into an experimental model succeeded and enrollment steadily increased, spatial renewal became an urgent priority. The school cleared out a cluttered, long-unused room and transformed it into a haven for quiet reflection, conversations, and personal exploration for both teachers and students.

Breaking the Circle to Create Asymmetrical Harmony

Departing from the original circular layout, the design reshapes the interior through a shifted circle combined with a rectilinear form, generating a new sense of asymmetrical balance. Entering the space invites visitors to shed external constraints, open an inner dialogue, and experience a calm integration of people, space, and environment.

Interwoven Soft and Hard Materials to Shape Atmosphere

Soft fabric curtains gently divide the space into an “entry and storage zone” and a “self-exploration activity zone,” creating a subtle boundary between public and private realms. Within the activity area, carbonized agglomerated cork forms small window-side alcoves, offering warm, intimate corners for solitude or heartfelt conversations. A rich interplay of materials gives the room its distinct spatial character.

A Ritual of Arrival

Because the entrance is shared with the teachers’ office, foot traffic often disrupted the sense of quiet. To restore calm, the designer replaced the steel handrails with dark wooden ones, encouraging visitors to slow their pace. Scattered wall surfaces were reimagined as open shelving units, encouraging exploration and interaction.

By returning this space to the students, the school invites them to observe shifting sunlight and seasonal changes through the windows, awakening bodily perception and closely aligning the environment with the school’s artistic-education philosophy. “Comfort Room” thus becomes a spiritual refuge — a place where Dacheng students grow into true “life artists.”