Day care centre and gymnasium

Stuttgart, Germany

Photo © Oliver Rieger

Drawing © Wilford Schupp

Architects: ORANGE BLU

Location: Stuttgart, Germany
Year: 2011

We recently completed a new Childrens Day-care Centre and gym in Stuttgart-Zazenhausen. The building is set within a heterogeneous urban environment which includes sports facilities, a primary school, and residential housing. The height of the new building, which is primarily constructed of wood, relates to the scale of the surrounding context. The Day-care centre has a ‘habitable’ and ‘group’ room for each individual class which is in turn supported by a large common multifunctional room. The gym, though used occasionally by the Day-care centre, is primarily for external ‘after hours’ use by the neighbouring primary school and local sports clubs. The entire development is built around a central foyer and its arrangement is based upon the ‘Einstein-Concept’. Group and lounge rooms, although traditionally combined, are flexible and available to use by everyone. The multicoloured wooden boarding which covers the external facade creates an enjoyable atmosphere of learning and playing in ‘a wooden house for children’.