Bischof Föhn Architekten

Description

The vacant commercial space on Witikonerstrasse was repurposed into an afternoon childcare facility for the Langmatt school district. The facility has the capacity to provide care for around 30 children and serve them meals. It includes a spacious main room for communal lunches and activities, a cloakroom, a kitchen, a toothbrushing station, toilets, storage space, and a small outdoor area. The original layout and large windows of the main room were preserved. Non-full-height cloakroom and shelf elements were installed to allow the natural light coming from the window side to pervade the room while its spaciousness is preserved. The widened windowsills along the large display windows make optimal use of daylight and invite children to read and play in these seating niches. The inner longitudinal wall, which separates the main room from the toothbrushing station and toilets, contains a kitchenette, built-in cabinets and a storage room. As part of the renovation, a new ventilation system had to be installed, and the concrete ceiling was upgraded for fire safety. Delicate pastel tones that harmonise with the wood of the built-in furniture bring brightness and freshness to the depth of the room and, together with the lighting, evoke associations of an ice cream parlour or a circus tent.