The Kindergarten Nová Ruda – Vratislavice nad Nisou designed by Petr Stolín Architekt consists of two elongated blocks, joined by a translucent cladding.
The plot is the property of the city and was chosen as most suitable for the new housing development planned in the immediate vicinity and the new kindergarten. The site itself is still undeveloped and the larger part of the land is defined as public greenery. In the immediate vicinity, there is a historic building, a secondary art school, and several patches of family houses, which as a whole, form a rather rural context.
The children's activities vary through the height of the building: in the lower part, there is a bed section, the quietest place, and the floor above houses the playroom. Here the children have the opportunity to go outside to the terrace and the side galleries which continue behind the facade of the house. Additionally they can reach the main outdoor play terrace situated above the dining room. The whole building is in fact, one big jungle. The top floor has the highest clear height and serves as a classroom. The skylights bring natural light into these areas and also to the dining room on the ground floor.
The building is sized for two departments of 25 children, an office for 4 educators, an office for the nursery manager and farmer, a dining room for 30 children and 4 adults. The design of the functional area of the kindergarten is optimal: food preparation, staff cloakrooms, cleaning room, technical space, and storage are all housed under the same roof.This concept of transparency enhances the whole mass and creates a sense of security. The outer facade of the house is a soft veil that embraces all the inner world of the kindergarten. The house does not need a fence. The outer shell blends the two slim volumes of the two compartments, which are connected in the back by common and functional areas. Thus, this connection turns the inner atrium into a sheltered and pleasant space.
