Project Profile: Fairchild Junior Academy

Fairchild Junior Academy is an inquiry-based early learning center located in Hong Kong with a focus on the development of the whole child in a play-focused environment using the Reggio Emilia approach to facilitating learning. Joseph Fung, the Founder & Managing Director, gained his inspiration for Fairchild Junior Academy from the great outdoors of Canada where he grew up from the age of 3. His environment – one of wide-open spaces, wild nature, and his education in Vancouver – inspired him to create a setting that is enriching and natural with hands-on experiences for children in Hong Kong.

In Reggio Emilia, “environment is seen as the third teacher” one that has a connection to nature, with natural light and natural materials. This concept asks us to think critically about how we set up environments to enrich children’s experience of learning. Through this philosophy and his relationship to Western Canada, Joseph Fung reached out to Natural Pod to outfit the Academy. He felt we were the obvious choice as our sustainable, multi-purpose, Canadian-designed furniture reflected the very values he was committed to creating for the learning community at Fairchild.

We were uttered delighted to be part of and support this unique early learning center. Our Design Director even designed a special Treehouse Play Loft unique to the Academy.

At the grand opening, following the symbolic planting of maple trees, Fairchild Junior Academy had the honor of Mr. J. Ian Burchett, Consul General, Consulate General of Canada in Hong Kong & Macao/Consulat général du Canada, Mr. Thomas Fung, Chairman, The Fairchild Group, and Mrs. Amy Fung, declare the center officially open!

The Academy’s leadership team was thrilled to welcome their peers, colleagues, educational partners, friends and supporters from both Hong Kong and Canada; extending a special thank you to all those who made the journey from the University of British Columbia, York House School Vancouver and The Bishop Strachan School Toronto.

You can see from the photos, Fairchild Junior Academy has been a great success and has since expanded to include Fairfield Kindergarten. The two centers are now collectivity known as ‘Fairchild Canadian Academy‘ which we feel is a wonderfully fitting name for the focus and work the Academy is doing.