House for children Gilching / Hirner and Riehl Architekten


© Julia Schambeck

© Julia Schambeck
  • Client: Gemeinde Gilching

© Julia Schambeck

© Julia Schambeck

Text description provided by the architects. On the edge of the municipality of Gilching, nestled between a grove and athletic fields on Fraunwiesenweg, the solid-wood construction of the new day-care center rose to offer four nursery as well as two Kindergarten classes.


© Julia Schambeck

© Julia Schambeck

The building breaks down into two parallel sections slightly offset against one another that are connected by a spacious foyer. The entrance located in the center of the complex marks the junction between the nursery, Kindergarten and community areas. An open staircase leads up to the second-floor parent waiting room, which forms part of the multi-purpose hall and opens up widely for events.


© Julia Schambeck

© Julia Schambeck

Collectively, these rooms represent the building’s core and are designed to facilitate interaction, conversation and exchange. The nursery and the Kindergarten facilities are clustered around a classroom in the center; they can be used as a continuum of space or divided further into zones demarcated by furnishings.


© Julia Schambeck

© Julia Schambeck

First Floor Plan

First Floor Plan

© Julia Schambeck

© Julia Schambeck

The result is an assemblage of freely scalable spaces for movement, play and cuddling dedicated to diverse activities and accommodating children’s individual needs. A mounted perforated activity wall fashions a bonus two-level intermediate space featuring a play house topped by a play gallery that is reached by stairs. Aside from promoting the development of motor skills, these “houses” encourage multifarious and imaginative game-playing.


© Julia Schambeck

© Julia Schambeck

The children’s bathrooms are situated back to back in between the group clusters and serve as a sound-insulating buffer zone while bundling needed plumbing installations.


© Julia Schambeck

© Julia Schambeck