SUCCESSFUL SYNTHESIS

V & B question: The brief for the listed church specified a “striking architectural style”, to put it mildly. How do you perceive the contrast between the exposed concretematerial – also known as “New Brutalism” – and the feeling of security that a nurseryschool should convey?

Mr Krämer: For us, the question was how should we deal with this concrete monument? In the original building, exposed concrete was used right down to the tiniest detail. Even the church's candle holders are made with it. To answer this question, we used spruceto contrast with the rough concrete. It's worth noting that spruce was also used as the formwork for pouring the concrete. In this design, the material, wood, also stands for“friendly naturalness”.

Mrs Speicher: I share Mr Krämer's view and prefer to focus on the diversity of the materialsrather than on a contrast. The “wooden box” inside the exposed concrete area createsa really warm and cosy atmosphere. The architects used colour sparingly, leaving it up to the children to add their own colourfulness to the space and the projection surface.

V & B question: The success of a project increasingly depends on finding the right balance

between requirements which can sometimes be contradictory. How were you able to

balance and take account of the different interests of architecture and education?

Mr Driesch: We had countless meetings, during which every little detail was settled. We

chose every single colour and tile together, collaborating very closely. What matters for

the children and for me as Supervisor of Christ the King Nursery School is that the building

is close to nature and feels warm and cosy. Warm wooden shades and white predominate,

creating a pleasant sense of space for everyone.

Mr Krämer: It was also important to retain the building's sacred character. That's why

we inserted the new construction like a piece of furniture.

V & B question: Modern education includes training children in all areas. How has this

exerted an influence on the new nursery school building?

Mr Krämer: Mrs Speicher, the supervisor of 8 nursery schools in Saarland, surprised us

here when she came up with an astonishing idea. She wanted all the washbasins to

have different tap fittings. It was only in the course of discussions that we discovered

that by handling different types of tap fittings the children learn how to master them. It

may look strange but it is very educational.

Mrs Speicher: ...wet rooms should also offer children a place where they can try things out

and engage their curiosity. After all, this is where they develop their own relationship to

personal hygiene. So, it's good to know that the shape of the toilets makes them particularly

easy to clean and that, thanks to their special surface, bacteria don't stand a chance.