Kindergarten in Petrovac
Three connected wings, warm colour and green roofs: a kindergarten shaped by the sun, the wind and the scale of a child.
For the national competition for the kindergarten in Petrovac, we started from the sun and the wind. A simple rectangle was divided into three parts, which were then positioned and joined according to the path of the sun and the flow of the breeze, forming a sheltered courtyard at the centre. Added volumes and a stepped-back upper floor give the façades a varied rhythm and create a series of green roofs.
The ground floor, where the nursery, classrooms, kitchen and canteen sit, is wrapped in coloured concrete in mustard yellow, navy blue and terracotta: a warm, saturated palette that makes each part easy to recognise and gives the building a playful character. The calmer upper floor, with further classrooms, multipurpose rooms, staff areas and terraces, is clad in textured concrete. Light timber windows soften the concrete and metal throughout.
The climate is handled by the architecture itself. A roof overhang of about 2.5 metres shades the façades and windows in summer and creates a covered outdoor zone where children can play protected from sun and rain. Large openings on the south, east and west façades allow cross-ventilation, while energy-efficient glass and internal screens control heat and light. Green roofs with Mediterranean plants and trees in the courtyard cool the air, retain rainwater and give children direct contact with nature as part of their learning.
47% of the site stays green, a kindergarten designed for the scale of childhood.