Kindergarten Žalec Zahod

The two-storey building with nine playrooms can accommodate up to 200 children and 45 staff. The playrooms for younger children are located on the ground floor, while those for older children are on the first floor. In addition to these, the kindergarten has the following facilities for children: a sensory room for calming down, individual work rooms, additional activity rooms and a library. The playrooms include teachers’ offices, storage rooms and other service areas. All the rooms are linked by common circulation routes, which provide additional play space with the placement of cushioned play areas. The children’s socialising and bonding activities gravitate towards two spaces in the building: a multi-purpose space on the ground floor and a sports space on the first floor. The multi-purpose space is designed as a two-storey volume with the possibility of a variety of uses. It can be used as a transition space, or as an additional play area, and with the installation of a stage it can be an event venue. The authors conceived the building as a compact structure, with offset volumes designed like a chessboard; it is characterised by horizontal and vertical integration of indoor and outdoor spaces, with plenty of large glass surfaces and natural light. Each playroom has an atrium on the ground floor and a terrace on the first floor. The playrooms can be combined via shared terraces; however, especially in the warmer months, when they are open, the boundaries between inside and outside will be blurred.