Kinderhaus Lauterach - A house for children
Kinderhaus Lauterach is a lively place for children, where each room has its own identity and atmosphere. The kindergarten and children's playgroup are functionally separated, but connected by a communal dining area that encourages encounters and exchanges. Along Raiffeisenstrasse is the spacious garden with four "green rooms" - open, partly covered outdoor spaces that can be opened up to the garden with sliding elements. In summer, they offer shady retreats, while in winter, covered side rooms can be used as temporary play areas. The connecting roof provides weather-protected paths and simplifies processes. The compact, clear structure makes everyday life easier. On the outside, the house appears as a series of green pavilions with striking roof shapes that blend harmoniously into the surroundings.

Conversion and new build - a harmonious whole
The existing barn will be demolished and replaced by a new build that picks up on the volume and scale of the existing building. The design combines the existing building with optimized room heights and a new wing with more generous heights and a modern design language. A central staircase with elevator connects both parts and compensates for height differences without changing the roof volume. Spacious entrance areas, crèche units and wet rooms are arranged at ground level on the first floor. Two flexible group rooms have direct access to the garden. The garden is extended to the north side. The central dining room, quiet rooms, offices and checkrooms are located on the upper floor; the levels are staggered for short distances and versatile use. The high roof structure with mezzanine creates special spatial qualities.

Technical concept & sustainability
The building deliberately dispenses with central ventilation systems in order to avoid technical shafts and keep floor plans compact. Fresh air is supplied via CO₂-controlled ventilation flaps, supplemented by window ventilators in the existing building. A central roof fan uses the stairwell as an exhaust air shaft and can be raised at night for cooling. Heating and passive cooling are provided by underfloor heating, fed by a geothermal heat pump. The south-facing roof is prepared for photovoltaic roof tiles, which cover a large part of the energy requirements.

Construction, materials & circular economy
The new building is being constructed using ecological timber construction with prefabricated timber frame elements and hempcrete infill. The approximately 45 cm thick walls are prefabricated horizontally and assembled by crane, which reduces construction time and costs. The walls are plastered with clay on the inside and clad with wooden formwork on the outside. The vapor-permeable construction ensures a healthy indoor climate. Biogenic insulation materials such as hemp are used in the existing building, combined with clay plaster. The ceilings are designed as wood-concrete composite ceilings or modular box girder ceilings with clay inserts to optimize acoustics and thermal mass. All connections are detachable and reusable, in the spirit of the circular economy.