Competition Kindergarten Helsinki

Sustainable, energy self-sufficient playground with circular economy

The competition called for a design for a historic site by the sea, right next to Sibelius Park in Helsinki. The kindergarten should respect the green environment and provide a sustainable, energy-efficient space to develop. adasca proposes a two-storey building with a slight kink, which is clearly structured from the street and opens to the south-east towards the park. Large window areas bring the surrounding nature into the spacious play area between the garden and group rooms, which is designed in bright, friendly colors.

Thanks to the efficient organization of the floor plan and the opening to the park and the sea, the children have a maximum of green space available outdoors - the rocky terrain with typical Nordic flora and fauna becomes an adventure landscape. In winter, the veranda-like, open play area inside lets nature appear as a constant companion and at the same time serves as a filter to the more protected group rooms. The design is based on an ecologically sustainable cycle concept. The active use of the roofs by means of a photovoltaic system, herb and vegetable garden and a play area adds another storey to the building - without any walls. In the roof garden the children learn how to grow plants sustainably, the products from their own roof are processed into meals in the kitchen of the kindergarten, the power supply is guaranteed by the photovoltaic panels. Thanks to the greening of the roof, the expansive structure is inscribed in the surrounding landscape as if it were natural. Rainwater is collected in the light wells of the group rooms and processed in the house to be used in the kindergarten.

Sustainable building materials and warm surfaces and colors make the kindergarten a cozy home for the little ones. The multifunctional central room offers the residents of the area space for various events in the evenings.