The Sunhouse

A village for children

The Sunhouse is the first kindergarten in Demark to generate more energy than it uses. The nursery architecture is based on Active House principles with sustainability as a key priority and a design that has an integrated ambition to raise children’s awareness about the relationship between energy consumption and the environment. The basic shape of the building is a triangle, which creates a natural division into smaller sections that encourages the children to play and learn. The geometry of the nursery architecture and the zig-zag roof-design create a varied volume. The roofs surface are perpendicular to the south so that skylights and solar panels facing north and south make the most of the sunlight. To break up the relatively large scale, the building is divided into three zones: An arrival area for staff, an area for young children with easy access to an outdoor sleeping hall, and a zone for older children with group rooms and outdoor playgrounds. Architecturally, the kindergarten mimics a small village where the children can easily find their way around.

Sustainable ambitions in the nursery architecture

In the project we have worked with issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals. However, the project was not designed to address the global goals, as it was created before the goals were adopted by the UN. We have worked with issues related to: SDG 3: Good Health and well-being, SDG 4: Quality education, SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy, SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth, SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities, SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production, SDG 13: Climate action and SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals.

Client

Hørsholm Municipality

Area

1300 m²

Year

2011

Location

Hørsholm, DK

Collaborators

Hellerup Byg, Rambøll

Images

Adam Mørk