Cordoba Kindergarten
Location: Cordoba, Spain
Type: Invited competition
Author: Radionica arhitekture
Design team: Ana Boljar, Vedrana Ivanda, Iva Pejić, Goran Rako, Josip Sabolić
Designed: 2010
Area: 2.700 m2


The real center of this object is a hole. We can call it a meadow or a playground. Classrooms surround the meadow just like chairs on a picnic surround the food table. All the rooms used by children are on the ground floor. The floor is slightly descending from west to east facade by ramps all the way to the place where the outside walls open towards olive groves. Cordoba climate allows us to remove boundaries between classrooms and outer space most of the year, so that outer and inside spaces become a unique place for game and study. During winter, the classrooms are heated to standard temperature while the temperature in halls and gym are around 10 degrees lower. Deep eaves around the atrium allow sun protection, as well as the ventilated structure of the exterior walls and roof. On the west side of the building entrance and parking zone are placed. Utility and administration units are places in the basement, naturally lighten and ventilated over the atrium on the north side. Architectural elements with which we build are a part of everyday architecture. Facade and the roof are covered by roughly processed stone from the nearest stone pit. We are using the traditional elements and materials in a different way, respecting the time the object is planned.