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KiTa Pioneer-Kaserne

Hanau, DE
2019–2022
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, KiTa Pioneer-Kaserne. Modern wooden building with yellow and orange framed windows. Surrounded by a garden with raised beds and lawns.
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, KiTa Pioneer-Kaserne. Modern wooden building with yellow and orange framed windows. Surrounded by a garden with raised beds and lawns.

The day care center KITA Pioneer-Kaserne demonstrates the translation of a particular pedagogy into an unconstrained architectural form: a day care concept focused on nature and the environment requires a structure that serves as an interface between the surrounding woods and the interior spaces. Rather than a compact building, a series of nested and protruding volumes increase the building envelope, intensifying exposure to the wooded surroundings.

Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, KiTa Pioneer-Kaserne. Sketch of a modern two-story building with wood cladding, large windows, and an exterior staircase connecting volumes.

Pioneer Park in Hanau’s Wolfgang district has been designed to be part of an environmentally friendly and sustainable urban quarter of the future. This idea is reflected in the childcare concept “Garden Gnomes: The Green Day-Care Center in the Pioneer Quarter,” which focuses on nature and the environment.

Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, KiTa Pioneer-Kaserne. Children play in a bright school interior with green floor, white staircase, and curved walls with windows and ceiling lights.
Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, KiTa Pioneer-Kaserne. Aerial view of the building and the associated playground and garden area.

The design of the new building is intended to allow the day-care center to fully benefit from the natural qualities of the adjacent green space. Located on the eastern edge of the Pioneer Quarter, directly next to the forest, the site covers more than 10,000 m² and accommodates a three-room primary school with a gymnasium on its northern portion, while the southern portion houses a day-care center for 155 children aged six and under.

Level 1

The three-section, two-story building blends in with its green surroundings. Key functions, including the multipurpose room and bistro, are located on the ground floor near the western entrance. South-facing group and recreation rooms overlook the woodland and are accessible from the north. Circulation areas open into these spaces rather than feeling like enclosed corridors, with cloakrooms featuring seating and lockers creating bright, wood-paneled entranceways. Toddler rooms are positioned between sleeping areas, multipurpose spaces, and washrooms, with transparent glass facades that let children experience nature in all weather conditions.

Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, KiTa Pioneer-Kaserne. Bright playroom with green floor, tables and chairs, large windows and children playing near a yellow windowsill and a toy storage room.
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Project by Behnisch Architekturbuero, KiTa Pioneer-Kaserne. Bright playroom with green floor, tables and chairs, large windows and children playing near a yellow windowsill and a toy storage room.
Client
Immobilien- und Baumanagement / Eigenbetrieb der Stadt Hanau / Technisches Baumanagement
Architects
Behnisch Architekturbüro
Address

Alfred-Nobel-Bogen 57
63457 Hanau
Germany

Gross Area

2.188,00 qm / 23.551 sq.ft

Gross Volume

8.802 cbm / 310.842 cu.ft

Competition

2019, 1st prize

Photography

David Matthiessen

Interior circulation spaces expand and undulate to accommodate the lively movements of children, as well as to create informal nodes of space for habitation and play. All group and recreation spaces face south, working with these circulation spaces to offer direct access to the outdoor terraces. Large windows draw the surrounding greenscape deep into the building, which is further reflected in the interior coloration.

The interplay of interior and exterior space imbues the building with a natural character, which is reinforced by the variegated wooden cladding of the classroom volumes. All group and recreation spaces face south, with views and exits towards the adjacent woods. In addition, each of these spaces on both floors have direct access to an outdoor terrace and play area.

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