Location: Nordhorn
Competition: 11 | 2018
Client: City of Nordhorn
A nursery in Nordhorn
By designing the play area of the nursery, the image of a „house in a garden“ is pursued. The organic and landscape forms explicitly contrast to the clear structure of the building cube. The arrangement of the exterior space corresponds to the room schedule of the nursery.
The main entrance is accessible via the street “An der Schleuse 1”. The waiting area along the north-east side allows for an open structure, fluid transitions towards the main area and simple taking children from and to the nursery.
Along the north-west side, a kitchen garden and generous outdoor area adds an extension to the kitchen, dining area and nursery.
Clearly visible play areas are located along the north-west area presenting a spacious and adventurous garden. An obstacle course opens up starting at the central terrace connecting to the further play areas.
A special feature is integrating the existing tree population and staging it: informal games like a climbing hill can be found in the “enchanted forest”. In interaction with the slightly shaped topography – the “Himalaya” – a sequence of spaces is created that animates children to play freely.
This landscape intervention aims at creating a place that develops a versatile learning and playing landscape by providing differentiated offers – evolving into a place that loves to be discovered by children and reacts to the current needs of an activating free space.