For "Kinderoase an der TUM," Kéré Architecture started with the idea of creating a daycare center near the workplace, where women pursuing academic careers could leave their children in good hands and continue their research and teaching with the same opportunities as their male colleagues.
The site, a former parking lot located between the university’s main campus and its cafeteria, is a densely populated area exposed to traffic and noise. The building has five floors, with a reception area and administrative offices on the ground floor.
"Kinderoase an der TUM" by Kéré Architecture. Photograph by Iwan Baan.
Children are grouped by age, each age group occupies its own floor, and the middle and top floors house common areas for play, sports, and meals, including a multipurpose gym. On the roof, a partially covered terrace called "Himmelswiese" (meadow of the sky) offers children a sheltered place to run, feel the wind and sun, and contemplate the city.
The central element of the design is the vertical playground. Slides connect the floors, inviting play on the lower levels. The playground also acts as a sound barrier, protecting the quieter rooms behind it from street noise.
"Kinderoase an der TUM" by Kéré Architecture. Photograph by Iwan Baan.
The central element of the design is the vertical playground. Slides connect the floors, inviting play on the lower level. The playground also acts as a sound barrier, protecting the quieter rooms behind it from street noise.
The proposal extends the rooftop terrace onto the rooftop of the adjacent café and connects both spaces with a slide. This creates a shared public space for children, students, and staff, which the studio hopes to bring to fruition someday.
"Kinderoase an der TUM" by Kéré Architecture. Photograph by Iwan Baan.
The building is constructed almost entirely of wood, with the exception of the south emergency staircase and the foundations. Energy efficiency, thermal comfort, fire safety, and acoustics were fundamental pillars of the concept, allowing the project's carbon footprint to be minimized.
"My first projects were designed for schoolchildren, and now I'm building for the youngest children. It's a beautiful responsibility. We designed the nursery with the children who will use it in mind." We created a vertical playground where they can run, climb, and slide from one floor to another. I hope this building sparks children's curiosity and encourages them to play, invent games, and do things together."
Francis Kéré.
