Kaohsiung Municipal Xiliao Elementary School｜A Modern Hearth for a Rural School

The cooking classroom at Xiliao Elementary School had long suffered from disorganized circulation and inefficient usage habits. Cooking tools were habitually placed haphazardly on countertops without proper organization, worsening the already aesthetically challenged environment. In addition, the adjacent teacher preparation room was rarely used—limited to teachers during preparation periods—and created a barrier to interaction between teachers and students, resulting in a waste of spatial potential.

The design team introduced a red-brick cooking island to evoke the traditional fire-stove imagery rooted in Xiliao’s local culture. The renovation further incorporated mixed materials: terrazzo countertops and wall finishes blended with rice grains to create a richer tactile experience that stimulates students’ observation skills. Storage zones were redefined according to teaching needs, and circulation was redesigned based on cooking procedures to guide users toward better organizational behavior and usage habits. The former teacher preparation room was also transformed into a multifunctional classroom—a shared space for students and teachers to co-create—enhanced with perforated-panel systems and flexible furniture to support diverse and adaptable learning activities.