Could the nursery school of the future consist of greenhouses and vegetable gardens?

Yes, if the European architecture firm Aut Aut Architettura gets its way.

Nursery Fields Forever, its winning entry in a design competition for an urban nursery school in London, proposes creating a mini-farm where preschoolers would take part in hands-on agricultural activities — from planting and harvesting fresh produce to tending animals.    

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“We designed this strange school: No classrooms, but open spaces where vegetables grow inside and animals can come in too. It’s a mixing of the two things, school and nature,” explained one of the architects involved in the project. 

In addition to building youngsters’ skills in teamwork and socialization — the goal of any nursery school — Nursery Fields Forever would enhance the children’s self-esteem, connect them to the sources of their food and promote the development of healthy lifestyles.