A few days ago I have been to the opening ceremony of Wiggle Wiggle Crayone (Art Institute). Words that spat it out from a ten year old girl gave me a big shock. She said “I am so happy to be moved to a new place like this. Now I can work on a more creative art works!” I was so surprised that only a ten year old girl could be so confident but at the same time her confidence motivated me.

At the first meeting with the director of Wiggle Wiggle Crayone, he told me that he wants his institute to be totally different from any other institute in the world. He wanted a place where it can draw out all the potentials from the children and make them feel and experience the art freely.

The “Wiggle Wiggle Crayone” project actually is started for the children’s creative activities. That is why I tried to avoid interior designing software to be used in this place. Walls in white acrylic and window frames in 4 different colors. A glass wall can be the concept to naturally make connection to a place to the other. These elements can be a motivation for children to think more actively and creatively.

All the classrooms were built with no partition and division. And tables are equipped and placed with more space. For this special place, client and the designer both wanted to express the feeling of no disconnection and free and unimpeded space. Because this place can be where the children can think and act freely. And also, woods led the child into the warmth and safety of the place. That is why all shelves and the storage closets for the art tools were built in woods.

For the last, the corner of the classroom was equipped with a small gallery. In this gallery, children can display their art works and become an artists and they communicate with their arts and share their thoughts and ideas together. Wiggle Wiggle Crayone is a place where children not only repeatedly drawing and finishing some arts but also where children can be taught and learn lessons in the processes of creating art works.

Designed by studio i.m.a
Design team : Jeon Jae Hyun, Kim Da Hae
Photo by : Lee Pyo-joon