In the north-west of Munich, hirner & riehl architekten und stadtplanerhave built the “Großer Berg”, a residential complex with a daycare center. The special feature is the timber hybrid construction, which offers sheltered retreats thanks to recesses. Everything about the project here.
Olching is a suburb of Munich with a population of 24,650. On Münchner Strasse, the architects from hirner & riehl architekten und stadtplaner designed a residential complex with a 7-group daycare center. The funding came from the Bavarian state government’s municipal housing subsidy program. This is because timber hybrid construction offers many environmental advantages that are supported by the funding program.
The design divides the volume into two new buildings. Bar-shaped structures are arranged in an L-shape in relation to each other. This creates a closed front towards the street, while a sheltered inner courtyard for the daycare center can be found on the inside. The buildings are staggered on the west side in the attic and on the south side towards the inner courtyard, creating recesses. The spacious terrace of the daycare center zones the open spaces between the floors.
The floor plan layout was the starting point for the daycare center in Olching. According to the development plan, an inner courtyard was already planned. By cleverly staggering the floors in a timber hybrid construction, the architects were able to create generous space as well as sheltered retreats. Both the children and the residents of the 31 apartments benefit from this.
The apartments are accessed via arcades. These serve as a noise buffer, but also offer the opportunity for distanced interaction. They all have a large front zone, creating an open, communicative atmosphere.
The exterior walls are designed as non-load-bearing timber stud walls. Thanks to their short construction time, they could be installed as prefabricated elements. The facades of the loggias and inner courtyards are accentuated with wooden panels in various colors, while the daycare center stands out with its colored floor and ceiling formwork.
The structure offers 31 barrier-free apartments, 20 of which are located in the West House and 11 in the East House. Two of these are wheelchair-accessible. Four 1-room apartments, eleven 2-room apartments, twelve 3-room apartments and four 4-room apartments are spread across the four-storey residential complex.
The daycare center offers space for seven groups with main and side rooms: four crèche groups and three kindergarten groups for up to 123 children. The building has two storeys and is a timber hybrid construction.
Melanie Wenderlein, partner in charge at hirner & riehl architekten und stadtplaner, said of the project: “The main task of the design was to accommodate the two uses, residential and kindergarten, in such a close context and also to “hide” the very busy street as much as possible. Both buildings are therefore accessed via arcades on their “noisy side”. The arcades serve as a kind of noise buffer. At the same time, however, they provide access and thus a generous communication area. In the courtyard also between the kindergarten and residents.”
The client for the project is the town of Olching. Planning began in 2018. Construction took place between August 2020 and 2023 and the apartments and daycare center are now part of the town of Olching. They are heated with district heating. A PV system on the roof provides electricity.
There is an underground garage with 44 parking spaces for residents, daycare center employees and visitors. Its entrance is innovatively designed as a playground in the shape of a ship’s bow, including a flagpole and wheelhouse. This is based on the name of the kindergarten, Noah’s Ark.
Each residential floor has its own color, creating a gradation of blue tones. The kindergarten on the first floor combines the shades of blue with its colorful façade and adds further hues. Inside, the colors of the building are reflected in the various daycare groups.
In the foyer of the nursery, there is a “touch wall” where the children can feel the imprint of the wooden boards from the hybrid timber façade embedded in the concrete. Different materials such as cork, fur and bark can also be felt there.
hirner & riehl architekten und stadtplaner is a studio in Munich. Since 1990, Martin Hirner and Dr. Martin Riehl have been developing sustainable buildings that meet formal as well as functional and ecological requirements. In doing so, they always use the conditions they find as a starting point for projects. In 2016, they were joined by three office partners, Melanie Wenderlein, Robert Härtl and Matthias Marschner. Today, the Munich-based office has over 50 employees.
hirner & riehl architekten und stadtplaner have been known for their innovative timber construction since 2001. They are among the pioneers of this material in Bavaria. In addition to the renovation and conversion of large historical building complexes, the studio focuses on the construction of new educational buildings for all age groups. In 2018, for example, the team demonstrated how important the integration process is for the creation of successful architecture with the “Bellevue di Monaco” refugee project. For the project Holzstrohbau Haus St. Wunibald, they received the award for renewable raw materials and the Bavarian Climate Protection Award.
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