The Melchior Wernstedt Competition 2010 wanted the participants to design a children house in Göteborg, "a place where children and youngsters can develop their artistic skills".The
aim of the project is to give birth to a vibrant community of
programs dedicated to children, such as workshops,
theatres and exhibition spaces for childrens in a strategic but
forgotten plot of the city center of Gothenburg. The
analysis of the site leads us to try to avoid confrontation with the
neighbour housing block’s façade as much as possible, while
fullfilling the wish of the municipality to revitalise Landala
square.
Thus,
the project has a completely different behaviour on both of its
sites.
On
the proposed plot, we disposed the « learning & making »
elements of the program, clearly outlined from the city by the wall
which provides a continuity of exterior spaces. These spaces act as
recreational buffer zones for the children between the city and their
workshops. The
other parts of the program, which we called « watching &
showing », are unified in a volume which oversteps the
surrounding wall and the street to reach the public life of the city
in the nearby square.
This
disposal allows for a very low rise to preserve views for the very
close housing building. At the same time, it aims to reactivate the
"invaded" square which is slightly isolated at the moment.