Kindergarten

This preschool is located in a small building on the grounds of the Bussnang-Rothenhausen Elementary School and brings together children from the surrounding villages; for many, it is their first experience of learning and playing outside the family home. It becomes a shared gathering place whose impact ripples out into the wider community. As part of a renovation project that included repainting the interior, the lighting also had to be reevaluated: It was designed to support children with a wide range of visual and physical needs and to offer teachers greater flexibility as well as more than just functional lighting.

Our collaborative process placed the people who use the space at its centre. Visits at different times of day revealed how the rooms and available daylight changed, while conversations with the teaching staff and school representatives helped shape the brief. The concept draws on two ideas: the kindergarten circle, where each day begins, and the ripple effect a school can have on future generations. A full-scale on-site mock-up allowed the staff to experience the proposal and contribute directly to the decision-making process.

The resulting multilayered scheme balances brightness, visual comfort and atmosphere. Dim-to-warm luminaires and intuitive controls allow the lighting to adapt to changing daylight conditions throughout the year, supporting the natural rhythm of the day while reducing visual noise. The design gives teaching staff a richer range of settings to suit different activities and creates a warm, homely environment for children who may spend a significant part of their day there.