kindergarten graz

urban space concept
the development on the competition site is organized to keep the natural and landscape space of the green belt entirely free from built structures. the existing green area on the site, designated as a special hospital zone, is transformed into a terraced green landscape. all significant tree groups and the small woodland are preserved. the building is embedded into the terrain. the green, intensively planted roof of the kamu-kibe compensates for the built-over green space. the architecturally shaped landscape has only one façade – facing south. the play areas directly in front of the groups are integrated into the natural soil and interspersed with deciduous trees. planter boxes above the wet rooms provide sufficient space for smaller trees. to clearly define and separate people and supply flows, the entrance for pedestrians is located on the south side, while food delivery and servicing occur from the north.

organizational spatial concept
the kamu-kibe is conceived as a functional organism with units of 4–5 groups each. circulation and distribution are organized around a central spine, which hosts events, parent meetings, and functions as the main distribution corridor. shared areas for all units are located along this central circulation axis. access for children, educators, and parents is from the south, while delivery and logistics are managed from the north. the two functional units of kages and mug are accessed via the shared hall.

acoustic protection concept
all four units are oriented south. orthogonal to this, each unit is acoustically “enclosed.” the screening consists of highly sound-absorbing shelving for play equipment, outdoor toilets, and garden tools. the roof extending far south over the paved outdoor area shields noise at its source. soundbreakers between the outdoor areas of the groups further minimize sound propagation. street noise is blocked by the elevated position of the children’s areas.

spatial concept
each unit is clearly and intuitively structured. movement and activity rooms are located at the entrance and also serve as event spaces. in the nurseries, additional areas not included in the program are provided for parent groups, meetings, and events. all group rooms face south. the terraces in front of the rooms are closed during the cold season and act as unheated winter gardens, serving as climate buffers and additional space on sunny winter days. the expansive roof provides inherent sun protection for the group rooms during high summer sun. group rooms can be flexibly arranged as private cells, combined with intermediate areas, or as fully open spatial continuums. intermediate spaces between group rooms can be assigned to one group, shared, or used as interaction spaces. the relationships between groups are further enhanced through the terraces. interior courtyards, or micro-gardens, serve as light and energy sources for lower levels; they are shaded in summer and covered with transparent cushions in winter to capture additional energy.

terraces and outdoor space in front of group rooms
each group room has a south-facing terrace. these terraces are usable not only in warm seasons but also as winter gardens during transitional periods and sunny winter days. the garden is directly accessible from all group rooms via the changing areas. required noise protection is provided by a north-south positioned play shelf, whose roof connects the two child levels with the woodland and natural area in the north.

energy concept
the following fundamental approaches to building form and orientation create favorable conditions for energy efficiency and savings:
compact building form with green roof
embedding of the building in the terrain
windows exclusively facing south
south-facing winter gardens
optimal potential for night ventilation
passive solar energy utilization
primary energy supply via district heating
building services measures

the children’s areas are compact, single-story, and embedded in the terrain, resulting in only one exterior façade oriented south. a second skin—a non-heated winter garden—is positioned in front for the cold season and fully openable in summer. cut-in light courts provide daylight to the lower levels. during winter, transparent air cushions in the courts allow additional energy gain. in line with the building’s low-energy standard, in addition to primary district heating, controlled mechanical ventilation with heat recovery is required. supply air temperature is maintained at approximately 22–25 °c. used air from changing and sanitary rooms is extracted and passed through a high-efficiency counterflow heat exchanger; incoming air is preheated and, if necessary, reheated. for preheating in the ground, an air intake earth register is provided behind the northern walls, eliminating the need for additional energy for frost protection. this system, combined with heat recovery, ensures year-round supply air temperatures above 17 °c without reheating. reheating is performed per group room via a reheat coil integrated in the supply air system, optimizing adaptation to passive solar gains from the large south-facing façades. the winter gardens in front of the group rooms open in summer and close in winter, serving as climate buffers and contributing to energy savings. space heating is provided via floor and wall heating circuits, controlled by a weather-dependent control group with individual room regulation.

accessible design
access for children with disabilities is provided at the same location as for all others. from the southern parking area, the shared entrance is reached via a 4% ramp. this level serves the nurseries of kages and mug. a wide event ramp or elevator connects to the kindergarten group level. the elevator also links both levels to the woodland and natural area in the north.

natural garden, fire pit, water fountain
the shared playground is located in the green space and is accessible from the changing areas via the protective play shelving flanking the outdoor area.

structural concept
the primary structure consists of concrete columns, a few bracing walls, and concrete slabs. the sanitary areas of the group rooms form structural cores capable of supporting tree islands with high soil fill above. all other walls and mobile partitions are non-load-bearing and thus fully reconfigurable.

daylighting concept
except for minor auxiliary spaces, all areas receive natural daylight. the south-facing façade of activity areas, skylight domes, and building cut-ins allow controlled sunlight penetration into nearly all rooms throughout the day. the positive effects of sunlight on health and well-being are well established.

material concept
to allow children playful access to different materials, exposed concrete (load-bearing walls and ceilings), steel columns and beams (primary structure), and plywood lightweight partition walls are left uncoated and in their original form wherever possible.

space efficiency
by combining changing areas for two group rooms into one shared space, unnecessary area was saved while maintaining required locker lengths per child. sanitary areas were optimized, reducing space demand. storage within group rooms is provided by cabinet units, saving circulation area. the large entrance hall and group entrances are multifunctional for activities, events, meetings, and stroller storage. the existing building, “schweinestall,” may be preserved at will.