Children’s Center Middenwaard

The new children’s center, which houses a school, daycare and gymnasium, has been kept as compact as possible, leaving more space for the outdoors. The design is elongated, with a narrower section in the middle, which leaves space outside for the line of sight from east to west; this allows the surrounding greenery to continue well.

On the east side, the building shifts slightly to the north and on the west side to the south. This creates a playful shape that fits in perfectly with the surroundings and provides more inviting places outside. The transition from inside to outside also runs smoothly in this way.

All the use around the building has a natural place in the natural green design; on the west side is the ‘kiss & ride’ zone that can serve as a play and sports field for older children outside busy times. At the main entrance of the building on the north-oriented pedestrian and bicycle area is a meeting place for dropping off and picking up. The playground for young children to the east and south of the school is green and adventurous. A buffer zone of ten meters towards the road provides extra safety.

Due to the sustainable and circular nature of the material, timber construction was chosen as the starting point for the construction. The upper layers of the facade are also made of wood. A wide canopy with rounded corners hangs around the building, which means that the outdoor space consists of several levels. The canopy softens the shape of the building and connects the different parts with each other. This makes the space around the building varied and suitable for different activities.

On the north side, the canopy marks the main entrance. The canopy has round openings for the trees, which provide a connection between the building and nature. On the south side, the canopy connects the studio, the multifunctional room and the playroom with the outdoor area. This makes it easy to use these spaces for both indoor and outdoor activities.

Finally, the canopy has nest boxes for various animal species. These nest boxes provide a safe place for animals, so that each class may be able to adopt a nest box in the future and follow the animals. In short: Landscape and architecture come together in a special way at KC Middenwaard in Amstelveen.