Abundant in nature, green signifies growth, renewal, health, and environment. The architects have used it for the façade and have designed a building that breathes, is energy efficient and is built with proximity materials. Dedicated to ‘small people’ it was born with BIG ambitions: it wants children to learn from scratch what is at stake in the world.

‘Our kindergarten is located near a future park in front a public building, in Sant Pere Pescador, by the Mediterranean Sea, in Northern Spain.
It‘s a small school of one level consistent of a compact set of building and courtyard with a formal simplicity that optimizes its adaptation to the place.
The precast white concrete brick walls and large glass windows define a rational architecture combines itself with a vitality counterpoint of painted steel enclosures and large silk-screened porch awnings.

5 main areas are disposed (3 classrooms, multipurpose and administration space) on the Southern Façade with access to the courtyard and totally transparent so as to enhance luminosity.
The ‘service facilities’ (kitchen, changing room, and warehouse) are located on the Northern Façade and are used as a ‘thermal mattress’ against moisture and wind.
The building has got a green roof top; geothermal energy supply associated with a radiant floor heating; thermal insulation and an interior finishing made of cork (proximity material); glass enclosures with thermal break sensors, along with an awning for nature light control, functioning as a large artificial tree.

This is a small project, carried out for a town hall (the smaller instance of the government), with a small budget and also dedicated to ‘small people’.

But it was born with BIG ambitions: it wants children to learn from scratch what is at stake in the world and therefore offers a building that breathes, is energy efficient and is built with proximity materials.

Thanks to the willingness of the client and the authors (the architects team have been granted with quality and eco-design European labels -ISO 9001 and ISO 14006-) and a grant from ICAEN (Catalan Institute of Energy), achieving the highest rating – A – in energy efficiency.’

ARCHITECTS: Ander Aginako & Amaia Celaya (abar architects),Barcelona, Spain and Ovidi Alum, Blanes, Girona, Spain. LOCATION: Girona, Spain. DESCRIPTION: Kindergarten. STATUS: completed. AREA: 279 sqm. STRUCTURE: ANTA arquitectes. ENGINEERING: OIKOSvía arquitectura S.C.C.L. CONTRIBUTORS: Mauricio Mailhou, Enzo Laise, Unai Gómez, Xavi Martínez (Arqtsº.), José Vera. TECHNICAL ARCHITECT: Angel Gil. PROMOTER: Excmo. Ayto. Sant Pere Pescador. CONSTRUCTION COMPANY: ARCADI PLA S.A. DATE: 2011. No part of this web site may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of Morfae and the copyright owner.