🇯🇵Japan·Seen from outside

Harima Kōgen Higashi Primary School (播磨高原東小学校)

Tatsuno, Hyōgo

Sources checked October 2026

“A primary school and a junior high school designed together by Ando, at the two ends of an east-west axis that runs through a plaza.”

Year: 1995
Architect: Tadao Ando
Type: Public primary school
Access: Primary school in operation, seen from outside (school website, October 2026)

This primary school, opened in 1995 in Harima Science Garden City, in Tatsuno, was designed by Tadao Ando. Its building occupies the west end of an east-west axis that ends at the other side on the neighbouring junior high school, with a plaza between the two. An oval-plan gymnasium sits beside a linear building.

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In depth ≈ 1 min read

History

The school opened on 1 April 1995. Together with the neighbouring junior high school, it was the first public primary and junior high school set up in Harima Science Garden City (播磨科学公園都市). Tadao Ando designed the buildings of both schools.

Architecture

The two schools are organised along an east-west axis, with a plaza in the middle and, at the two ends, the primary school building and the junior high school building. The primary school is on the west side. The teaching buildings are linear, and an oval-plan gymnasium sits beside one of them. The grounds of the two schools are linked and one can pass freely from one to the other.