Kindergarten Zarja

Year 2010
Location Kamnik, Slovenia
Typology Kindergarten
Scale 1.400 m2
Status Completed - municipality bronze recognition
Authors Miha Volgemut/ Rok Vettorazzi
Photo Grega Eržen

This 10-department kindergarten for 170 children was designed according to private initiative and investment. The building is positioned tightly between the river and the street, which basically determine geometry of the building. Basic functional scheme of this kindergarten is to make strong communication between central indoor space and outdoor playground. To achieve this we made the central gathering space as large and transitional as possible going from main entrance towards the outside playground. Program of the kindergarten therefore functions between two lamellas: the east one where the services, vertical communications and offices are positioned, and the west one with 10 playing units for children; in between there is this central gathering space in both floors which is meant for transition, gathering, exhibitions, events etc. The building has two floors which means younger group of children located in the ground level directly connected with outdoor terraces and garden, and older group located in the upper floor. The kindergarten includes also its own kitchen in lower and gym space in upper floor. 
Exterior appearance of the building is designed to be dynamic and diverse. To achieve this we designed façades to be heterogeneous as much as possible, which offers richer perception of space. This kind of diversity of surfaces exposes various ambients and surprises, so building transforms itself like a movie during our movement. This kind of appearance is more than an image, it is the space of experience and movement, that children will explore and where they will inhabit the worlds of senses and thoughts. The richer the experiences will be and more mysterious the ambients will show, more intensive will the connection between children and space become.