Sea on the ceiling

At the private forest preschool 'Skovbo', they prefer to spend their days in the deer park, experiencing nature first-hand. But the preschool also has its own playground and building, where play is in focus.

The children eat most meals under a large overhang which offers some protection from the weather. The overhang extends above a large wooden deck, which is a central space linking the indoor and outdoor areas. The building is made of brick with a smooth red finish, while the wood has a natural finish. The indoor layout is very open, with a ‘play room’, workshops, cloakrooms, toilets, a kitchen and meeting room.

The building has to handle a lot of traipsed-in dirt and smoke from the campfire, while at the same time providing a pleasant environment for indoor activities. The acoustics have therefore also been an important parameter, which architect Kim Egholm has taken very seriously. The result is a sloped ceiling, and acoustics that impress visitors and employees alike. It creates the experience that nature, in the form of wood, has been brought inside.

Wave inspires

Kim Egholm based his design on the children’s play activities and use of the building. This inspired him to break up the ceiling surface and create a more playful look. A traditional Troldtekt ceiling made of panels in the colour natural wood is broken up in places using the alternative Wave panels, with a completely different look due to their wave shape.

While guaranteeing even better acoustics, Wave is also a strong element in an otherwise anonymous room surface. “Children often lie around looking up at the ceiling as part of their playing. I have therefore turned the ceiling into an upside-down sea, in which Wave panels float around like rafts. This also makes the ceiling more interesting to look at,” says Kim Egholm.