Letovo Junior — Kindergarten and Elementary School

Letovo Junior is a next-generation kindergarten and school, a continuation of the renowned Letovo boarding school, one of the best in Russia and globally, offering both Russian and IB programs.

We led the project from concept to completion, covering architecture, interiors, technology, and landscape.
The core idea: create a space where children grow through movement, play, and discovery.

Each classroom is themed around a natural world element—ocean, flower field, rainbow—creating adaptive learning spaces.
The library functions both as a classroom extension and a reading retreat.

The lesson must change its mise-en-scène: one child at the board, one on the rug, another on the windowsill. Individual work should alternate with pairs and groups. The classroom can become a theater—hang a curtain. There must be two writing surfaces—whiteboard and chalkboard. Furniture should be mobile. There must be space for activities within a large circle of people.

Sergey Plakhotnikov, educator and psychologist, director of “Babashki” and “Tatneft & Childhood” project

Common areas offer a range of activities: LEGO tables, soft blocks, running zones for active breaks.

The entrance area with waiting spaces allows teachers to held meetings with parents, while caregivers can comfortably wait until their child finishes classes.

The teacher’s lounge is a second workplace: open-space with areas for rest, collaboration, or extracurricular work, themed after a coastal sunset. It includes meeting rooms and a café.

The landscape design supports holistic development for children aged 3–10:

• Physical: running tracks, climbing structures, rope parks

• Cognitive: construction, role-play, and active games

• Social: group play areas, covered outdoor classrooms

• Emotional: chalk drawing zones, open-air stage

  
  

The studio delivered the full cycle from concept to equipment procurement. The same design logic shaped the upcoming Letovo Junior building on Vernadsky Avenue.