”The playground is designed like a big jigsaw puzzle where the pieces are 'fields' of grass or forest for all kinds of activities.”
Børnehuset Midgård Tølløse
Category
Location
Tølløse, Denmark
Client
Holbæk Municipality
Collaboration
Jönsson A/S, COBE
Contract period
2013-2016
Contact
Hans Kragh
Landscape area
5,000 m2
Construction cost
13,000,000 DKK
Image Credits
DronePixels, Morten Grønbæk, KraghBerglund
For the daycare institution Midgard in Tølløse, Kragh&Berglund have created a lush and imaginative landscape inspired by the Danish fields and cultural landscape surrounding the building. These typologies are made part of the landscape and used in the context of learning and play. Children are challenged not just by equipment, but by the topography, plants, and natural materials in the landscape. Imagination is given free reigns and encouraging inspiration is emphasized over dictating certain types of play and games.
The playground is designed like a big jigsaw puzzle where the pieces are “fields” of grass or forest for all kinds of activities. It has a labyrinth made of hay, hills, pipes for shouting, common land, a berry and a kitchen garden, woods, a campfire site etc. Between the pieces, a system of gravel roads provides the children access to the entire area. A wealth of smaller recesses and hiding places allow the children to play in smaller and in larger groups.
The playground is enclosed by a fence, and a separate area for the kindergarten and a smaller one for the nursery are also fenced in internally. The circular building surrounds an inner courtyard that can serve as an open square by the building and as a playground within the playground. When shielded, the courtyard can be used for many purposes almost all year around. From spring until late summer, one can have breakfast and meetings in this uniquely welcoming environment.
The institution is located in a historically sensitive area where traces from settlements from the Middle Ages have been found. This is why the project emphasized local identity and history from the onset, and these have been marked with particular stones and sculptures dotting the landscape. We have thus created a landscape connecting nature and culture.
Relevance: The project demonstrates experience with designing a daycare institution and integrating it into a cultural and historical landscape in a considerate way. The outdoor areas emphasize recreation, movement and education, and a great amount of emphasis has been placed on the continuity between the building and the landscape. Nature is essential, and carefully selected plants, natural materials, and outdoor functions is used to create an inspiring and robust landscape for everyone to enjoy.
Want to learn more?
Contact Hans Kragh
hkr@kragh-berglund.dk
+45 81 72 74 53
