/ studio led by Risto Halonen
To bridge the gap between Slovak and Finnish educational spaces, I conducted on-site research at a local daycare, focusing on specific features like the washing entry, civil shelter, etc. To further inform the design, my classmate Vanda Košťálová and I held a workshop with the children. We wanted to tap into their sense of creative freedom and see the world through their eyes. Even though there was a language barrier, the teachers translated our questions, and the children responded with drawings of their dream school. This visual dialogue allowed us to understand their perspective without the need for words.
Both daycare centers are oriented towards the forest and the lake, strategically positioned to maximize the distance from the surrounding roads. They share a central outdoor playground that serves as a common social space. The youth center is situated closer to the road, as it is primarily utilized during weekends when traffic noise levels are significantly lower, thus acting as a buffer for the more sensitive daycare zones.
ROOMS
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
SECTION A-A’
FACADE
GROUP ROOM (children 3-6 years)
GROUP ROOM (children 0-2 and 3-5 years)
The kitchen features large sliding doors that allow the space to be fully integrated into the common area. Following insights from our workshop—where children expressed a great love for baking with their teachers—the foreground is designed at a child-appropriate scale. This 'learning kitchen' allows kids to actively participate in rolling dough, baking, and preparing vegetables. On the left side of the visualization, a visual link is established between this area and the multipurpose hall, seen from the perspective of an indoor climbing structure.
The interior features a children's climbing structure that provides a visual connection to the dining area. The multipurpose hall is equipped with integrated window seating that doubles as storage for bulky items that do not fit in standard cabinets. This multifunctional element also serves as a seating area for various community events, such as children's Christmas concerts for their parents.
ELEVATIONS
The entrances and window frames of the various building sections are color-coded to facilitate intuitive wayfinding for the children.
NORTH
WEST
SOUTH
PLAYGROUND
BACK IN THE KINDERGARDEN, SHOWING THE SAME KIDS WITH WHO WE HAD WORKSHOP WITH, THE KINDERGARDEN, THAT I DESIGNED UPPON ALSO THEIR PREFERENCES
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