Nursery

Caption   Our proposed daycare facility defines a delicate balance between openness and protection through the exterior façades which are treated in deployable perforated metal mesh panels, forming a “second skin” for the building. This architectural gesture veils the building in a soft layer of semi-transparency and operates as a protective filter, providing shade and privacy, while preserving a strong sense of openness to the surrounding neighborhood. At an urban scale, the building operates both as a subtle boundary and a threshold between a pedestrian street and a vehicular street. Constantine Bouras Studio The project is conceived as three seperate concrete volumes, which host the daycare areas, the... More

The new on-campus Woodlands Day Nursery and Forest School for the University of Staffordshire puts play, development, wellbeing and nature at the heart of early years education, in a net zero carbon building. Providing 100 childcare places, and designed at a child friendly scale, the new nursery includes a state-of-the-art digital observation suite for trainee teachers, social workers and university students. The associated forest school is an independent space for school-age children to engage in outdoor learning activities that develop skills and knowledge not possible in their classrooms. Daniel Hopkinson Early conversations with the University of Staffordshire pointed the design focus towards creating a building from which the ch... More

“Cradle” was designed by architects Constantine Bouras and Daphne Lada as an entry to the International Design Competition ARXELLENCE by Alumil and the Hellenic Institute of Architecture. This is the study of a building located in Dionysos, Attica and consisting of a Daycare Nursery on the ground floor and a Community Center Multipurpose Hall on the first floor. The main idea was the inflow of nature into the building like a green carpet, thus expanding the flow of green which stretches from the opposite train tracks, goes through the building and progresses towards the rest of the city. Constantine Bouras Studio | Daphne Lada The spaces of the Nursery are created by curved-in-plan walls which form organic notches in the... More

The nursery is located in the Ano Patisia area of the City of Athens. The architectural study foresees a two-story building with a basement and a roof. The ground floor covers the needs of infants, while the first floor accommodates the toddlers.Due to the rather unfavorable geometry of the plot on top of the specific building requirements of a nursery, the design of the building was made with the clear aim of creating open and bright spaces that will serve the functionality of the nursery at the same time. For this reason, the central element of the design is the atrium, which plays multiple roles: it creates a clear programmatic separation of the main areas of the building [administrative spaces and children's spaces], while allowing at t... More

A nursery school with a capacity of 60 children is located in a suburban residential area in Tsurumi Ward, Yokohama City. The planned site area is located in a region designated by Yokohama City as a “priority development area” due to the high demand for nursery schools. However, in densely populated residential areas, there are few opportunities to have a site large enough for a nursery school. For this site as well, the area designated to the playground was kept to a minimum by satisfying the relaxation requirements, thus the plan was approved. Takumi Ota Photography Since it was impossible to secure a playground of a sufficient size, and considering the site being on a slope and surrounded by a terraced streetscape, we... More

“Lidhja e Prizrenit” kindergarten is located in Paskuqan, Kamëz, near Tirana River. After the earthquake of November 2019, the existing structure was beyond repair, so a new building was required to accommodate a growing number of children in the area. The new kindergarten serves 250 children between the ages of 2 and 6. The primary goal for this project was set on creating contemporary learning spaces that are easily adapted to different activities and in accordance with the specific age group that will use them. Besart Cani Besart Cani Distinctive features of the project are the inner courtyard and the facade. Due to the fact that physical activity plays a crucial part in the healthy development of the children... More

Ried-Brig is small village situated along the road that connects through the Simplon Pass, the Canton of Valais in Switzerland with Italy. Its small and picturesque historic city-center was during the last decades circumscribed by a natural urban expansion. Although it has kept its attractiveness it has lost its centrality and significance. The project site is situated at the entrance of this historic city center and encompasses the village school premises, a parking lot and a sports facility building. All these elements are scattered on the existing geography and are the result of successive interventions throughout the years, resulting in a space without a clear order and identity. DMK Photography DMK Photography DMK Photogra... More

-Zoning to create interaction among different age groups This is a relocation and new construction project for a nursery school in Musashimurayama City, Tokyo. The area has a generous atmosphere, with residential areas spreading out toward the Musashino Plateau and Sayama Hills. The previous building was a two-story RC structure, and children's activities were divided between the upper and lower floors. For the new building, the client wanted a one-story wooden structure in order to enrich the interaction and experiences of children of different ages. By placing the nursery room, hall, and other childcare functions on the first floor and the reception desk and other staff functions on the second floor, the zoning was designed to prevent th... More

The design and construction of public buildings in Greece is problematic, as the architect is not in charge of the construction. One of the biggest challenges of this project was to reintroduce the role of the architect as the essential contributor. Mariana Bisti Mariana Bisti Additionally, we intended to give prominence to the construction method of prefabrication. Prefabrication, one of the conditions of the competition also defined the final form of the building as the basic module would have to be transported on a truck. Mariana Bisti Mariana Bisti The concept of the project was to design a building that would relate to the scale of its users while also introducing a new typology, that of the urban village. The mai... More

This detached house, located at 54 Route de Frontenex, is part of a preserved area of historic urban fabric. Built in 1868, it comprises three residential floors above a semi-basement ground floor used for industrial purposes, as well as two low annexes set at right angles to the house, forming a courtyard, and a garden at the rear. Olivier di Giambattista The property was acquired by the City of Geneva in 1951 and has undergone various transformations. In 2014, a call for tenders was launched for the installation of a crèche. This does not affect the main building’s currently residential upper floors. Olivier di Giambattista The chosen project adapts itself to the existing structures of the building, which is prote... More

The project forms part of the eco-district at Jonction. This public facilities building complements the three existing residential units. Its programme includes a crèche, a sports hall, premises for extracurricular activities and a multi-purpose hall. Olivier di Giambattista On the site, this public facilities building is organized according to the principle of differentiated, yet related blocks offset against each other. The building’s compact design frees up land for a high-quality urban public space within the new district. This square is in continuity with a series of urban open spaces that end at the corner opening onto the Rue des Gazomètres, thus creating a new entrance to the former Artamis site. Olivier... More

This project exploits a magnificent location, an open clearing with two tall Spanish firs and an orchard on a gentle incline, by bringing the landscape into the heart of the building. The crèche and the playground are envisaged as two pieces of a puzzle and as the interpenetration of the interior and exterior worlds. Joël Tettamanti The playground, a safe, protected external space where the children spend a great deal of time, is a key element in the project and is just as important as its alter ego, the building itself. Sunk 60 cm below the natural ground level, the playground sets itself apart from the rest of the clearing. Encircled by a long, continuous bench, it creates a special and privileged relationship with the n... More

The Hauderweg child care facility is located near the center of Ebelsberg (southern district of Linz) and is embedded in a quality garden with beautiful old trees. It is well connected to the public transport network by tram. Access to the day care center and kindergarten is along the calm street Hauderweg. It is an ideal location for a childcare facility (also due to its proximity to the school). Kurt Hörbst Kurt Hörbst The existing building from the 1980s had to be renovated. Two outdated additions were removed to make room for a quality new building of the day care center, that has to be the space for 9 groups. This two- storey, compact, L-shaped building was positioned in the construction window in such a way, that... More

Before even looking at the project itself, most people ask me: “But how did you end up doing a project in India?” The truth is so unbelievable that I sometimes hesitate to tell it, not because I wish to embellish the story but rather to make it more believable. So here is the real story 11h45 In December 2015, the agency was going through a critical period. One day, in the middle of a lunch break, the phone rang. At the other end of the line, a very enthusiastic man, with a strong Indian accent, asked to speak with me about a daycare project in India. As I was unavailable, the call did not reach me. We considered the phone call as a hoax and then forgot about it. Fortunately, the man called again the day after. We agreed t... More