Kindergarten, Gummersbach, Germany
In the quiet, residential district of Hülsenbusch in eastern Gummersbach, surrounded by family homes and greenery, the new AWO Kindergarten Frieda-Nadig offers a place for movement, play, learning, and well-being. Completed in August 2024, the newly built daycare center replaces the former Käthe-Frankenthal-Kita and now provides space for 85 children across four groups.
Designed by architects Volker Müller and Diana Prediger, and commissioned by the city of Gummersbach and investor GWG (Gummersbacher Wohnungsbaugesellschaft), the 1,200 m² low-energy building is a showcase of sustainable and user-focused architecture. Equipped with a solar electricity system on the roof, the building spans two floors featuring group rooms, a movement and play area, a bistro, quiet spaces, and zones for reading, media, and team collaboration.
From the outside, the kindergarten appears both grounded and elevated — adapting to the slope of the site. Its long, horizontal form stretches along the landscape, and its generous windows open views to the surrounding nature, fostering a sense of openness and connection to the outdoors.
Natural Harmony Through Lunawood ThermoWood®
One of the most striking elements of the building is its wooden façade, clad in vertical Lunawood ThermoWood® Battens. The natural, untreated surface of the wood will gently grey over time, further enhancing the building’s integration with its rural surroundings. The façade’s rhythm, created through precisely spaced battens, brings structure and elegance to the modern design, while the natural wood grain offers a warm and tactile experience for children and adults alike.
Sustainable Lunawood ThermoWood® is made from PEFC-certified Nordic softwood and processed without chemicals, making it a safe and sustainable material — ideal for educational environments. It supports healthy architecture by being low-emission, durable, and dimensionally stable, even in changing weather conditions. Through the use of natural materials like Lunawood, sustainable systems, and a child-centered layout, this project offers not only a place to grow, but a place to belong.
Facade woodwork : Holzbau Reissaus, Drolshagen
Lunawood Supplier: Holz Henkel
