Kindergarden in Arganda del Rey

Description

The resemblance between the evolution of an embryo in the womb and the fortresses, cabins, or primitive huts evokes the idea of the circle as a matrix structure that associates the house with the idea of shelter. This approach, the starting point of the project, is strengthened by the natural tendency of children to play in circles (rings, chairs, jacks and so forth) or to organize their playing area in a circular ambit: a radius of access within the reach of their own arms.Moreover, the possibilities offered by a cylindrical space for control from any given point of its perimeter with the opening of a single large void onto the exterior justifies this option as the best one for a space devoted to childcare. After several geometric combinations, the layout chosen was based on tangential circles, so that each line is abutted with respect to the next, leaving gaps between alternate circles to let light flow through. This pattern organizes the double cell type (with a four-meter radius as marked by regulations), because the brief demands that there be shared restrooms arranged by age every two classrooms.The program also adapts to the aspects, in such a way that all the classrooms look towards the southwest and the restrooms to the north. The main access, offers parents a waiting area with views towards the exterior beneath a large circular canopy that, like a closed arch, acts as a zone of transition between the central spine and the exterior. In the end, the compulsory use of an organizing pattern based on a rigid geometric grid not only makes the distribution of the interior pieces easier, but also helps throughout the building process. Furthermore, this pattern offers solutions for the organization of the program that are more versatile than those that could have been provided by a less restrictive initial pattern or layout. (Description provided by Picado-de Blas Arquitectos)