Cordoba Kindergarten

The real center of this object is a hole. We can call it a meadow or a playground. Classrooms surround the meadow just like chairs on a picnic surround the food table. They are also the space connecting the hypertrophied, shady hall with the sunny meadow. All the rooms used by children are on the ground floor. The floor is slightly descending from west to east facade by ramps all the way to the place where the outside walls open towards olive groves. The façade openings brighten the corridors, pointing out that the school does not want to be isolated from the environment. Cordoba climate allows us to remove boundaries between classrooms and outer space most of the year, so that outer and inside spaces become a unique place for game and study. Duringwinter, the classrooms are heated to standard temperature while the temperature in halls and gym are around 10 degrees lower. In summer, by opening the closure between classrooms, space can be naturally ventilated. Deep eaves around the atrium allow sun protection, as well as the ventilated structure of the exterior walls and roof. On the west side of the building entrance and parking zone are placed. Utility and administration units are places in the basement, naturally lighten and ventilated over the atrium on the north side. Architectural elements with which we build are a part of everyday architecture. Façade and the roof are covered by roughly processed stone from the nearest stone pit. We are using the traditional elements and materials in a different way, respecting the time the object is planned.