As one of the crucial components of the microsystem system in human development, the educational environment plays a significant role in shaping young children’s holistic development. Preschool interior space could be one of the most important places where children first interact in school life. Specifically, the interior space of preschool is the place where young children spend a lot of time in their lives surpassing the home environment. In Vietnam, research on preschool interior design, particularly in the context of color usage, remains limited despite there is high demand to build preschool buildings to adapt to the increasing number of young children going to kindergarten each year, such as in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). This paper explores color designs in preschool interiors in HCMC, Vietnam; aiming to propose colors that align with children’s developmental needs and pedagogical practices. Through conducting the data from reviewing academic articles and papers, on-site observation case studies in both public preschool and private preschools, focus on interior classroom space, visual-spatial, and color comparative analysis, and utilizing Adobe's palette extractor for color palette, this paper explores the application of color design in preschool interior space. The findings suggest the potential benefits of using bright and cool tones for background colors, complemented by vibrant hues such as blue, red, yellow, or orange for accents in interior spaces. Aligning with pedagogical practices, the use of color can create stimulating environments that encourage children to explore and discover. Additionally, attention should be given to factors such as flooring materials, cultural context, and spatial functionality. The findings of this paper contribute to the limited academic resources on color space design in Vietnam, providing valuable insights for architects, interior designers, teachers, and educators to make informed decisions when designing preschool environments.
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