Color Kindergarten - Design Bureau

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Color Kindergarten

Wednesday, August 1st, 2012

By Justin Ray
Photos courtesy of Palatre & Leclere

Research has shown that the colors of a classroom walls can affect the student's learning and behavior. But, what about rainbows?

The four classroom kindergarten Ecole Maternelle Pajol, on Rue Pajol in Paris's 18th arrondissement, is emblazoned with bold, vibrant colors and playful displays. It is a wonder that Skittles hasn’t contacted the school to film a commercial.

Parisian architectural firm Palatre & Leclere reinvented the 1940s building with explosions of color. The duo's intention was to juxtapose the sterile, formal nature of the building with eye-catching spectrums. They play with this theme inside and out of the entire building. The playground features clouds and rainbows; the hallways highlight Crayola fixtures; the bathroom has stalls made of red snail cutouts.

We admire the spirit of the project and the audacity of making such an unapologetic expression of color. And we weren't kidding when we said the vibrant hues of the building may actually help students learn. In 2009, a study at the University of Essex showed that children showed improvements in memory, mental agility, reaction times and even physical strength when exposed to sunflowers, rainbows and other colorful object. Maybe you'll see some rainbow murals going up in your neighborhood next?

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