Kita Weisse Stadt Oranienburg
The »Weiße Stadt« (»White City«) in Oranienburg, Brandenburg, was built and run in the1930s as a works housing estate by the aircraft manufacturer »Heinkel«. To re- densify this area, a new district is under development.
At the entrance of this new neighbourhood, the two-storey timber-frame construction of the new public day-care-centre »Kita Weiße Stadt« is located on a triangular plot. It offers a safe environment for just over 100 children.
An old oak tree creates an inviting entrance situation. The spacious and protected garden offers diverse areas for the children to play and experience nature. All along the building, a timber gallery forms an additional layer and extends the group rooms, connecting them with the exterior. The multi-layered facade of generous, vertically segmented windows and a parallel grid of grey timber battens creates a lively play of light and shadow.
Inside the building, the consistently visible wooden construction creates a warm and natural experience for the children. The two-storey building houses four rooms for the nursery on the ground floor and six rooms for age-group 3-6 on the upper floor. A central staircase connects both areas via the entrance lobby. The group rooms are clustered and arranged in the shape of a windmill around a central core. Each area is defined by a special colour scheme to create cheerful spaces and easy orientation within the building. The built-in elements are painted with translucent pastel colours, leaving the wood grain visible and tactile.
The bespoke furniture for the rooms offers a great opportunity to explore different ways of play, art and retreat. The puppet and theatre room provides inspiration for various role plays, the arts-and-crafts area supports the creativity, and additional nest spaces offer a protected calm environment. The pedagogic concept is complemented by a large activity zone and a child-friendly kitchen for shared cooking and baking.
The prefabricated timber construction, planned and coordinated in 3D, was erected within less than 6 weeks. The planning team placed emphasis on using local wood, such as European, larch and oak for the cladding and gallery, whereas timber construction, windows and doors are made of local pinewood. Exterior and interior walls as well as the green roof are insulated with wood-fibres. The foundation of the building is made of recycled concrete with an insulation of foam glass gravel. Synthetic and composite materials as well as solvent based coatings and other harmful substances have largely been avoided in favour of recyclable products, based on natural materials.
Natural ventilation, assisted by an efficient night-purge ventilation via facade and roof, enables a low-maintenance service concept. PV-panels on the roof provide electricity. With its construction and operating concept, the “KiTa Weiße Stadt” has been an ecological pilot project for the local authorities.
It now marks a sustainable and lively center for the community of the new district.
