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The project originated from the municipality’s initiative to modernise Kiens’ educational infrastructure and strengthen the central village core. Replacing the outdated kindergarten on the same site gave us the opportunity to create a new building that would not only serve children and families but also enrich the community as a whole. The concept emerged from a deep engagement with the specific needs of young users, the relationship to the townscape, and the idea of architecture as a vessel for well-being and development. We designed a structure that is both playful and grounded — an intuitive spatial experience that supports learning, discovery, and safety.
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The kindergarten is not an isolated building but a vital element in the urban fabric. Positioned between the primary school, music rehearsal rooms, and the village hall, it forms a kind of educational and cultural campus within the town. We carefully studied the site’s topography and circulation flows to ensure natural integration with the existing terrain and built environment. The zigzag ramp, for example, bridges a four-metre height difference and connects the kindergarten to the upper part of the village and the nearby church, fostering both accessibility and symbolic continuity. The materials and colour palette echo the church tower and surrounding stone structures, creating an architectural language that is unmistakably local.
Sustainability was a cornerstone of the design from the beginning. The building was constructed to the CasaClima A standard, ensuring high energy efficiency and environmental performance. We opted for a timber structure made from cross-laminated panels, complemented by a green roof that supports biodiversity and insulation. Heating is provided by an air-to-water heat pump, and controlled ventilation with heat recovery maintains excellent indoor air quality. Electricity is partially generated by photovoltaic panels integrated into the roof. Importantly, the building also incorporates radon protection measures—a serious health consideration in this region. While awards may still follow, the project was publicly funded under the EU’s PNRR recovery plan and complies with the DNSH principle, underscoring its alignment with European sustainability goals.
The project’s strength lies in its spatial clarity, material honesty, and deep understanding of its young users. From the outset, we approached the design not as a scaled-down version of adult architecture, but as a space with its own logic – shaped by movement, light, and curiosity. Every element of the layout reflects that thinking: studios open onto gardens, group rooms welcome daylight, and shared areas support both structured and informal learning. Interior materials were chosen for their tactile and sensory qualities – like warmth, acoustic softness, and calm presence – with birch wood as the most prominent example, serving as the defining material throughout the interiors. Custom-made furniture, designed by our studio, was developed to support children’s autonomy and imagination. Outside, covered areas extend the learning environment throughout the year.
A special feature is the children’s canteen – spatially and socially integrated, it serves the kindergarten and pupils from the neighbouring primary school. It can function independently or, if desired, become a shared place that connects everyday routines and fosters a sense of community.
While deeply tailored to children, the project is more than just a kindergarten. Positioned between the school, village hall, and rehearsal space, it becomes a connector: physically, socially, and architecturally. Its scale, materiality, and accessibility anchor it in its surroundings and complete the civic centre of Kiens.
This project is more than a kindergarten – it’s a building that serves the entire community. It connects key public institutions, supports everyday village life, and creates a welcoming, safe, and stimulating environment for children. Its strength lies in clarity, material warmth, and integration into the existing urban fabric. Architecture as civic infrastructure and space for growing minds – simple but different.
Roland Baldi Architects, based in Bolzano, covers a broad spectrum of projects which vary in scale, context and function - from public and private buildings to commercial buildings, urban planning and interior design.Their architecture is characterised by a great sensitivity for context, functionality and a contemporary design language: simple but different. An essential aspect is to reduce architecture to its very essence, even for the most complex of tasks. The use of pure materials and colours as well as the consideration of local references, results in a clear, high-quality and timeless architecture.Their approach has as its centrality the user and their needs. Many of the projects have been awarded with national and international architecture awards and presented in reputable exhibitions (Biennale of Architecture São Paulo, Biennale of Architecture Venice, Premio Architettura Città di Oderzo, South Tyrolean Architecture Prize, Premio Architetto dell'anno, Wood Architecture Prize).
