Page 93 - AIT0525_E-Paper

Entwurf • Design Campus Kindergarten, Merseburg
Grundriss Sockelgeschoss • Basement floor plan
Grundriss Erdgeschoss • Ground floor plan
Längsschnitt • Longitudinal section
Bauherr • Client Aline Hielscher Architektur, Leipzig
Standort • Location Friedrich-Zollinger-Str. 1, Merseburg
Nutzfläche • Floor space 774 m 2
Fotos • Photos Célia Uhalde Photographie, Sulzschneid
Mehr Infos auf Seite • More info on page 126
CAMPUS KINDERGARTEN
IN MERSEBURG
Retrofitting and conversion instead of demolition – that
was the motto of Leipzig architect Aline Hielscher after
she had been commissioned to renovate a truly unattrac-
tive GDR building located on the Merseburg university
campus. With an eye for the building’s potential, she
transformed what used to be a telephone exchange into
a cosy place for children to play, climb and romp.
I t would have been easy to simply demolish the uninspiring GDR
building and be done with it, since it was not listed, after all. Never-
theless, a renovation was considered in favour of the old building fabric
in order to give the building a second life. The load-bearing structure of
the masonry in a three-metre grid allowed for a corresponding reorgani-
zation of the rooms without any problems. And so, the two-storey buil-
ding, the lower level of which formerly used to house the main room of
a telephone exchange, was transformed into a day nursery for around
40 children from babies to toddlers whose parents are studying or wor-
king at the university. The renovated and converted building, together
with its elongated, narrow flat-roofed extension, is directly connected
to a residential hall of the university. The office of the day-care centre
management, group rooms with adjoining cloakrooms, wet rooms, a
dining room and a kitchen are located on the ground floor. Of course,
the little ones who want to (and are able to) are allowed to help prepa-
re the food. In the semi-basement, in addition to the staff rooms and
the north-facing sleeping area, is the south-facing heart of the day-care
centre – the movement room. Due to the generous height of the room,
a wooden landing was added in this room for romping, playing and
climbing, from which the children can also access the outdoor area. The
landing, made of untreated spruce, is a kind of playable giant piece of
furniture that can be conquered via steps and two ramps. One of these
ramps is even equipped with coloured climbing holds for easier ascen-
ding. Also made of untreated spruce is the open shelf for storing the toys
and arts and crafts, which furthermore also serves as a room divider. In
general, the furnishings are simple and functional, without any unwan-
ted childish, kitschy frippery. The nursery is also restrained as to its use
of colour – only a bright English red can be found on the façade and
in the form of wall paintings and tiles in the interior. It is precisely this
simplicity that makes the building so remarkable: the creative “revision”
can be perceived as a modern intervention, but the basic characteristics
of the GDR building have not been lost in the process.
AIT 5.2025 • 093