an extra strip of land left over during the redesign of the malaga gardens in barcelona gave a great opportunity for spanish practice batlle i roig arquitectes to create a much needed nursery. the ‘escola bressol’ is comprised of two rectangular masses stacked upon each other, with a cantilever over the entrance to define a small covered courtyard.  in this way all classrooms can face south while playgrounds are fitted into the perimeter and the void created by the offset upper volume.

 

exposed concrete with embedded wood form work cradle the masses on the non-south facing facades. on the other sides, large windows and metal sheets with three sections of diverse perforations wrap the elevations, allowing light to reach the facilities while securing a safe location for the children. the interior contrasts greatly with the hard exterior. a chromatically rich scheme covers the lower portion of the partitions to color the world of the small inhabitants, while adults remain in the white space above. handles are placed high on the doors with windows along the bottom half, for the little users to look into their friends’ classrooms. soft wood furnishings and rubber accents make for a tactile and child-friendly environment.

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
entrance

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
one mass cantilevers over the other

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
entry courtyard

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
sandbox on the perimeter

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
semi-permeable fence borders the outside

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
view from inside the premises

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
small playground along perimeter

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
small gardens places around the perimeter

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
perforated steel screens

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
kids drinking fountain / sink

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
upstairs play area

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
stairs

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
stairs

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
south facade with windows

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
hallway

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
doors into classrooms

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
classroom

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
site plan

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
floor plan / level 0

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
floor plan / level 1

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
section

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
section

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
elevation

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
elevation

batlle i roig arquitectes: escola bressol nursery
steel sheet detail