Competition for a building of the nursery school

We were looking for a form that promoted a homely safe atmosphere. One of the inspirations was the constructions built by the children (and us as children) from chairs, cushions, blankets: tents, bunkers, hiding places. This need for shelter in their own cosy space was the reason for covering the entire 'kindergarten town' in one big roof with the eaves brought down safely low to match the children's scale. The walls are less important, it is the roof that defines the boundaries of the children's world, tthe surroundings sometimes penetrate inside.

The form of the kindergarten should be concise, archetypal, easy for a preschooler to remember (and draw), only the interior can surprise, encourage exploration and stimulate the imagination. The kindergarten building is meant to be a backdrop and a comfortable wrapping for the activities carried out in it - any strange and colourful forms should be the result of the kindergarten children's play and imagination.

The form of the building is a development of our design ideas: the expansive, lightweight roof rests on a spatial structure formed by a massive shaft topped by chimneys, screen-like outer walls and a grid made of wooden beams.

The building does not resemble a toy, and its form is the result of the consistent application of certain rules - the continuation of local traditions and the subordination of nature - rather than a top-down contrived style, making it timeless and of educational value.