CEDEI Nursery School / +K Arquitetos

The CEDEI Nursery School, designed by +K Arquitetos, was conceived with urban dwelling in mind, and with a facade that resembles the manufacturing plants of the neighborhood where it is located. The separate buildings and spaces, each with its specific and exclusive purpose – administration, nursery, atelier, multiple use rooms, eatery and kitchen, etc – are interconnected by wide sidewalks, plazas and skywalks. More images and architects’ description after the break.

One of the features we looked to implement with this design is the “invitation” of activities that are conducted internally, in each block, to be expanded to the outside, between the blocks. The plazas (either covered or not) are strategically implemented to enable the meeting between the different groups of people that will use this facility, such as students from different ages, teachers, school employees and parents.

We have taken into consideration, in the design of this project, that fact that the outside and common spaces are of high priority for the Reggio Emilia educational method adopted by the CEDEI, for their importance in the physical, motor and cognitive development of children. In order to emphasize the utilization of the outside spaces, the second floor was “duplicated” and “cut” in order to allow natural lightning and ventilation in the ground floor.

The ground floor was designed as an extension of the sidewalk that enters into the Administration building, forming a small covered plaza to receive the parents and students that arrive at the building. It has a “collective and public” feature, fluid and transparent, and of common use to all facility users. The ground floor houses the workshop, common area, multiple use rooms, eatery and kitchen.

These areas are enclosed by glass and steel and wood panels. The extensive use of glass enables the natural light to reach the ground floor through the cuts in the roof, in addition to emphasizing the visual communication of the activities performed in these spaces.

The first floor has a more private and fragmented feature, housing administration, nursery and 10 classrooms, grouped in 2 different blocks, each with a centrally located restroom. Each block opens to the outside through metal panels, that pivot like garage doors enabling a shadowing of the outside space, “blending” the outdoor and indoor according to the requirements of the Reggio Emilia educational method.

The administration and nursery rooftop has a horticulture garden that blends, in the horizon, with the native forest that will surround the building.

Architects: Keila Costa (+K Arquitetos)
Location: São Paulo, Brazil
Collaborator: Carolina Tonetti
Client: SESC (The Social Services of Commerce)
Project: Nursery School CEDEI (Developed Child Center)
Landscape Design: Luísa Mellis
Furniture Design: Flávia Pagotti Silva
Graphic Design Management: Cássia Buitoni
Project Year: 2011/2012