Medo Brundo Kindergarten Ulica Dubrava 185 Zagreb, Retkovec, 2005 architects njiric+ arhitekti d.o.o Hrvoje Njiric Davor Busnja
concept diagram
How to design a kindergarten on a too small plot ? What if the plot is overshadowed by a massive nine-story block on it’s south side ? What if the plot is surrounded by the heavy traffic ?
The outline of the building is continuous and closed, except on the west side which is stripped and treated like a glazed section to interact socially with a frequent neighbourhood path.
The kindergarten is initially concieved as a single-story mat building – compact, introverted, autocatalytic, with clearly defined borders. Due to the context, the mat is pushed away from the shadow and folded up towards the sun. Local suburban matrix is echoed in the repetitive small-scale structure of units and patios. This chequered board of solids and voids is bent into vertical plane – gardens become terraces, corridor transforms into staircase.
Such a layout offers a variety of open-air spaces – patios, covered (winter) terraces and a roof-top garden. There is a big playground in the non-buildable area on the back side of the house. Interior is organized as a sequence of spaces linked with The Children Street. It’s meandering character and a multitude of inbetween spaces, supported by the intensive transparency and colour coding, attempt to create a scenery of a true urban experience for the child.
ground floor
The children’s and staff premises are completely intertwined. This typological innovation mirrors a series of didactic relations. A child can see women typing on a computer, the other ones counting money, sewing linen or cooking their meal. There is a man who receives the new goods, the other one controls the heating or repair the furniture. It is the major contribution of the project the whole spatial setup is to be understood as a specific educational device. Walking down The Children Street and seeing all the professions lined up left and right – like an everyday situation in the city. An introduction to the real life.
first floor
roof storey