Reichel Schlaier Architekten

Description

On the sun deck

Like the whole of Stuttgart, the Wangen district is suffering from an ongoing shortage of childcare places. For this reason, a new daycare centre has been built on the beautiful slope on which the district of Wangen is situated. It enjoys a view of the Neckar valley, the vineyards opposite and the sepulchral chapel in Rotenberg. An aerial photograph makes the special setting clear: It is located on the border between built-up areas and the countryside, but is part of a protected landscape area. The building’s concept is derived from its location. The two-storey structure is embedded into the ground at the rear, and its green roof surfaces can be used as accessible play areas. Thus, the new building fits perfectly into its surroundings and does not appear incongruous. Seen from a distance, it almost disappears into the topography. Only the exterior walls on the valley side are visible, with the light grey fibre cement panels set into the slope like vineyard walls. The usable areas and corridors are «buried» in the mountain, naturally lit using large skylights right down to the ground floor. The group rooms and bedrooms as well as the movement room are on the slope side. Floor-to-ceiling glazing connects the building with the landscape in all areas, and the expansiveness that results from the location on the slope becomes perceptible.