Eksaarde, a village part of the City of Lokeren needed a new recognition point. A place to gather. A place where one could meet. The program: a kindergarten and a library. Close to the villages’ center, family houses, schools, an elderly home, the site rather feels like a park. We wanted to create a project, very subtle embedded in the park. A building that feels like it was already there but above all, one that was open to the public. Even more, a building that creates opportunities to meet. The program of the building feels at first sight very contradictory. At one side the library. A place that is rather quiet but open. At the other side the kindergarten. Very strictly regulated but noisy and playful.

We combined these 2 programs in 1 physical building and arranged them around a public square with just 1 entrance. The most public functions which can be found in the library are oriented to the street and makes people curious. The more protected rooms of the kindergarten are placed away from the street but open up to the park and the elderly home behind.  The internal organization of the building is clear and simple. When entering the building one meets the internal patio.  All functions are connected through that outdoor area.  The patio is used as a tool to create light but mostly to create interaction without physical proximity.  Kids interact through the glass and mirrors, parents and visitors see their kids playing in a safe environment while entering the building.