Schenker Salvi Weber Architekten

Description

The KinderKunstLabor is a one-of-a-kind building concept globally. It is neither a museum nor an indoor playground but rather a large laboratory for children up to twelve years old from all social and educational backgrounds. The space allows them to engage with contemporary art in a playful and sensory way through workshops and exhibitions at a high level. The challenge in planning was unique: the design had to be viewed from the perspective of children, while still maintaining a serious commitment to art. A children’s advisory board, made up of kindergarten and school groups, played an active role in the planning and design process. In collaboration with architects and artists, an ecologically sustainable, creatively ambitious, and participatory architecture was developed. This approach takes into account the needs of children and respects their point of view. The building’s floor plan forms a triangle with rounded corners and three sides that lean slightly inward, which creates a recurring hexagonal motif inside. The structural design was developed together with structural engineers: a central «tree trunk» support in the middle of the building has six «branches» extending from it to distribute the loads. This central support structure houses the building’s main functions, while a spiral «helix staircase» winds upward through the entire height of the building, providing a spacious area for crafting, building and exhibiting.