Innauer Matt Architekten has materialized the distinctive concept of Kindergarden in Lustenau, Austria.
A distinctive children's world of its own was created between Grindelkanal and Hasenfeldstrasse. A place with a homely character, characterized by an aura of great relaxation - a kindergarten that links the potential of the location with the requirements of modern pedagogy.
The new kindergarten building is designed as a compact, two-story structure, which contains a multi-layered interior world. The interior is open to the outside as well as provides ample space for communication and interaction. The building is connected via three staircase cores and the dense traffic flows of children at rush hour are disentangled. Additionally distancing the new kindergarten from the street has created a large and open accessible square for outdoor activities.
On the upper floor - on the "Belletage" - the group rooms are equally distributed. The five units with movement space and communication zone function as an independent area within the building. All groups are oriented towards the south-east, ensuring optimal lighting and sunlight during the core morning hours of kindergarten operation.
The weather-protected play terraces extend the functionality of the rooms behind, providing a pleasant transitional space and providing a strong link to the surrounding high-quality outdoor play area.
Both the exterior and interior of the building are characterised by a subtle architectural language that finds its inspiration in scale and functionality. The simple and atmospheric design of the house is materialised by native wood and steel windows. The material concept in the interior creates a mood appropriate to the use, but remains restrained. Solid surfaces of wood, mineral materials, and carefully coordinated colours enrich the space with their pleasant look and feel, yet leave the children and educators enough design freedom to develop on their own.
The building was constructed as a mixed construction of wood and concrete, which is well able to meet today's energy and ecological requirements, especially with regard to sustainability. A basic structure of bracing core walls is supplemented by prefabricated wall and ceiling elements made of wood. The use of high-quality, ecological, and regionally available materials, energy-efficient building services systems, and the use of renewable energy protects nature and the environment and create a positive contribution to the issue of sustainability.
