National Changhua Special School｜A Caring and Accessible School Canteen

“ When we create an environment that welcomes diversity, we create an environment that fosters learning. ”

—— Sonia Nieto

Reinterpreting the Student Dining Hall Through Existing Architectural Elements

Before renovation, the campus architecture prominently featured reddish-brown brick tiles contrasted against lush green landscaping, with continuous arched corridors that shaped a distinctive rhythm of light and shadow. Building upon these existing spatial characteristics, the design team extracted the school’s architectural forms and color logic, extending them into the dining hall and its surrounding areas. The result is a brighter, warmer, and more inclusive dining environment that supports the needs of both special education teachers and students.

Integrating Space and Existing Furniture to Create a Dining Environment Close to the Heart

The design brings the arched architectural language from the outdoors into the dining hall entrance, creating a dialogue between interior and exterior. The removal of the suspended ceiling raises the overall height, improving both spaciousness and lighting quality. Curved forms applied to the main wall and ceiling soften the rigid vertical and horizontal lines of the original space. The serving counter retains the school’s existing food cart structure but is upgraded with added partitions based on user habits, enhancing hygiene and visual coherence. Existing stainless-steel tables are reused by trimming the legs, adjusting their height, and adding system-built tabletops, paired with stackable stools for flexible storage. For students with mobility challenges, chairs with armrests provide better grip and support. Through these thoughtful adjustments, the dining hall becomes not only brighter and more aesthetically appealing but also safer, more convenient, and truly accessible.