Opening of a municipal crèche

As its starting point, the plan for the crèche on Rue de Trèves in Cents used the construction specifications for a crèche for children aged 0 to 4, and the distinct features of the site, which slopes towards Rue des Pommiers and adjoins a classified protected biotope at the back of the plot. This meant taking into consideration:

• the slope of the natural terrain
• the depth of the plot of land
• the role of Rue de Trèves as an important thoroughfare
• the rural aspect of the plot
• the existing trees
• the biotope at the back of the plot.

The project was devised so that the building – with its urban architectural design – is closed on the street side and opens onto the garden, thus placing the emphasis on the children and staff's well-being.

Description

Building

The entrance hall of the crèche is located below Rue de Trèves and can be reached by a staircase or a gently sloping ramp, which offers easy access to people with pushchairs and people with reduced mobility.

The entrance hall includes an area for parents and an expansive gathering space. The recreation room, washroom facilities for staff and visitors, and some of the equipment rooms are located beyond the gathering space.

From the front door, an inclined plane leads to the lower floor. The classrooms are all located on this level. They also provide direct access to the interior courtyard and the secure garden at the back of the plot.

The east wing contains three classrooms for children aged 2 to 4 (max. 16 children per group), their washroom facilities and a teaching kitchen and water games room. The west wing contains three classrooms for children aged 0 to 2 (max. 12 children per group), their washroom facilities and nap rooms, and an interior window that looks into these spaces. A feeding room, breastfeeding area and pushchair storage area are connected to the expansive space that is also used as a changing room.

The kitchen, storage room and heat pump room are located on the ground floor and connected to a covered outdoor space, from which a ramp leads to the delivery area on the Rue de Trèves side.

The first floor, which can be reached by a straight staircase and an elevator, houses the administrative offices, ventilation space and a laundry room.

Special attention was paid to the building's graphic elements. For this purpose, the architect teamed up with the Georges Zigrand design consultancy firm and artist Laurent Daubach. Working with the project owner, they developed customised graphic elements based on a contextual approach: the graphic elements embody a close visual and graphic connection between the site (garden, trees, etc.) and the architecture (opening onto the garden, natural light, fluidity of the spaces), while retaining simple, integrative graphic language and spatial applications.

Outdoor facilities

Most of the existing trees were incorporated into the project. This includes two trees on the Rue de Trèves side and one tree in the centre of the interior courtyard. The classrooms converge towards this existing tree in the centre of the courtyard. The high hedge that includes a variety of wild trees and surrounds the site on the south and east sides was also preserved.

The garden can only be reached from the inside of the building (other than access for emergency services). The playground was meticulously designed by the landscape architecture firm in cooperation with the Service Parcs (Parks Department) and Service Crèches (Crèche Department). It is tailored to the needs of children aged 0 to 4.

From Rue de Trèves, a staircase and a gently sloping path lead to the crèche entrance. There is an area for bikes next to the staircase on the pavement.

Project owner

Ville de Luxembourg – Direction Architecte – Service Bâtiments

Project manager

• Architects: BESCH DA COSTA ARCHITECTES SARL
• Static engineers: BEST INGENIEURS CONSEILS
• Technical engineers: LUXAUTEC
• Landscape architect: AREAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
• Architectural lighting: MLGG
• Health and safety management: ARGEST S.A.
• Work-related accidents and health and safety inspection body: SOCOTEC ASBL

Construction trades

• Asbestos removal: Enviro Services international
• Soil survey: Grundbautechnisches Buero Luebeck
• Acoustic survey: Pan Akustik GmbH
• Structure and external facilities: Consortium: BAM LUX / BAM GALERE
• Electricity: Électricité Wagner s.a.
• HVAC / Sanitary installations: Buffadini P. et Fils sàrl
• Elevator: Schindler
• Roof: Préfalux S.A.
• Scaffolding: Lux-Echafaudages sàrl
• External joinery: Menuiserie Messerich Vincent s.a.
• Exterior rendering: Kuhn Construction, Z.A.
• Interior plastering: Burg & Kirch
• Suspended ceilings: Herzog
• Interior firebreak joinery: SB Inbau s.a.
• Interior joinery: Menuiserie Messerich s.a.
• Floor screeding: Bati-chapes s.àr.l.
• Tiling: Maroldt s.àr.l.
• Rubber: Brisbois s.àr.l.
• Parquet floor: Brisbois s.àr.l.
• Floor covering: UCRETE TAB s.àr.l.
• Kitchen, feeding room and teaching kitchen: Luxcuisines
• Metalwork: Nico Betzen S.A.
• Initial fittings: Emotec
• Painting: Peinture Dave Feltus
• Graphic elements:
  • D’CO
  • Georges Zigrand & Laurent Daubach: Subcontractor – concept and supervision of graphic elements
• Cleaning: Nettoservice