A building for happy children

The new DGNB-certified nursery in Bad Bederkesa in northern Lower Saxony is a true children’s paradise, with plenty of space in wonderful premises.

Geestland council, one of the ten biggest local authorities by area in Germany, has long set great store by sustainability. Geestland was even awarded the German Sustainability Prize in 2018 and the German local sustainability prize ZeitzeicheN for its exemplary commitment.

In keeping with this, the council prioritised sustainability in building the new €3m Sonnenblume nursery in Bad Bederkesa and opted for a timber frame construction. Energy is supplied via an air source heat pump and solar panels are installed on the gabled roof. Sustainable materials are also used in the interior. The German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) has awarded the new-build its Gold certification.

Plenty of light-flooded space

A total of 50 kindergarten and 15 day nursery children have plenty of space to play, romp and discover over an area of approx. 750 m². Not only do the floor-to-ceiling windows let in lots of daylight, they also give the boys and girls an excellent view out of the spacious rooms. The bright, wide corridors also feature wide, box-shaped window sills set into the large glass façades which can be used for lounging or seating.

Sloping ceilings, wood and glass improve the quality of the environment

Copious glazing in the interior of the new-build gives the rooms an open, transparent feel. Light wooden frames around the windows and glass doors combined with white walls and light brown floors help create a relaxed, feel-good atmosphere. Furnishings and murals in warm yellow tones add colourful accents in keeping with the sunflower theme (Sonnenblume means ‘sunflower’ in German). While the rooms have high ceilings, these are partially sloping and boast exposed wooden beams, imparting a certain cosiness and offering a pleasant contrast to the white walls. This is strengthened by the Troldtekt acoustic panels, which are fitted between the rafters and considerably improve the quality of the learning environment in the nursery thanks to their acoustic properties.