Frederiksvej Kindergarten

Frederiksvej Kindergarten // Cobe

Year of completion: 2016

This project was first started in 2011 as a competition. To mark the completion of project, it was officially launched by the mayor in 2016. The kindergarten intended to build a little township environment for kids in a largescale institutional daycare environment.

The architecture of this project is made up of 11 small houses composed together organized in altered placement. The diverse recreation programs in the kindergarten are positioned about two winter parks that occasioned in these minor, personalized spaces where children can create their personal play spaces within the building. According to the founder and Creative Director of COBE, Stubbergaard (2015) a variety rooms were planned to support a diverse type of activities for the children in all seasons. Atriums were used as an informal gathering between children, employees and parents.

From this project, it is best interpreted as the modest illustration as a representation of how a child may illustrate a house. The roofline is kept uncluttered and windows are designed to look frameless. It is interesting that the kindergarten adjusts to the diverse scales of the local people and reflects the neighbouring pitched roofs that range in different heights and pitches.

Figure 3.32 Atrium

Figure 3.33 Spaces within a space

Figure 3.34 Central winter gardens

Hjortshõj, R. (2015) Frederiksvej Kindergarten / Cobe. https://www.archdaily.com/781669/ frederiksvej-kindergarten-cobe?ad_ source=search&ad_medium=search_result_all (Accessed: 30 April 2020)

Kaleidoscope Kindergarten // SAKO Architects

Year of completion: 2020

The kindergarten located in Tianshui City; China features the main element in using coloured glass throughout the whole building. The colour elements were used on glass doors, windows, handrails of corridors and staircases.

The use of coloured glass made this kindergarten special as it forms colourful lights and shadows during the daytime. It evokes kids’ creativity and inspiration when they are in the kindergarten. During the night-time, in contrast, the glowing illuminations from the inside radiate out of the window that produces an inspiring and attractive night scene.

Most of the openings in the kindergarten are arched to reflect the surrounding context. The architects position the arched openings in different dimensions with dispersed locations, making this building looks like a birthday cake.

This kindergarten inspired the play of light and shadow within a space. The use of coloured glass, making the whole space look like a giant rotating kaleidoscope with constantly changing colours and patterns. It is an important precedent in how to combine colours and architecture together which give an impact to the users. The coloured shadows overlap onto each other to create completely different colours from the original colours used. This ever-changing environment creates a vibrant and exciting experience to the children.

Figure 3.35 Glowing light from the interior creating a beautiful night view CreatAR Images. (2020) YKaleidoscope Kindergarten / SAKO Architects. https://www.archdaily.com/936976/kaleidoscope-in-tianshuisako-architects?ad_source=search&ad_medium=search_result_all (Accessed: 1 May 2020)