컬러풀한 색채 디자인을 적용한 Kalorias Children’s Space

따뜻하고 감각적인 공간으로 아이들의 창의성을 키워줘

아이들이 머무는 공간은 꿈을 키우는 곳이자 미래가 만들어지는 소중한 곳이다. 포르투갈의 칼로리아스 헬스클럽 내부에 새롭게 마련된 ‘아이들의 공간’은 아이들의 정서와 창의성을 키우기 위한 새로운 공간적 시도를 엿볼 수 있는 디자인이다.

건축가는 기존 구조를 최대한 유지하면서 형태, 색상, 질감, 그래픽 등의 디자인 요소를 가미함으로써 한껏 개성감 넘치는 공간을 만들어냈다. 우선 다목적성을 지닌 독서방을 규모있게 배치하고 학습 지원뿐만 아니라 영화 감상, 독서, 컴퓨터 장비의 교육적 공간으로 활용될 수 있게 하였다. 독서방과 연계된 미술실은 주로 공예나 시각적 표현이 가능한 공간이다. 그중 아이들이 가장 좋아하는 방은 신체를 활용한 게임을 할 수 있는 플레이룸이다.

바닥은 인조잔디를 깔고 아이들이 재미있게 놀 수 있도록 벽과 천장의 개념을 허문 것이 특별하다. 이처럼 각각의 룸들은 저마다 다채로운 컬러로 마감되고 서로 다른 이야기를 창의적으로 엮어가고 있다. 방들을 이어주는 복도는 소통의 공간으로 작용한다. 공주님과 왕자님들의 산책로를 의미하는 복도는 각 구간으로 이어지는 아치 형태로 연결된다. 독서방은 작은 원형극장을 형상화하였으며, 커다란 칠판 주위로 아이들이 그리고 쓰는 것이 가능하다.

미술실은 시각적인 표현을 자극하기 위해 곡선과 유기적인 형태, 다채로운 색상 등을 가장 많이 사용한 공간이다. 반짝이는 흰색 램프와 파란색 천장은 별이 총총한 하늘을 연상시키며, 구멍 난 벽은 숨겨진 공간을 드러내면서 독특한 시각적 효과를 자아낸다. 마술 같은 복도의 끝에는 가장 큰 다목적공간이 자리한다.

가장자리에는 테트리스 컬러 마운틴이란 의미처럼 사각 박스를 쌓아 올려 만들어놓은 재미있는 놀이공간과 무대가 되어 아이들을 즐겁게 한다. 이처럼 ‘아이들의 공간’은 다채로운 색상과 유기적인 공간디자인을 통해 아이들의 무한한 잠재력을 높여주고 있다. ANN

Architect_ João Amaral, Manuela Tamborino

자료 및 사진_ Estúdio AMATAM

Designing this space for children led us to a journey through time and space in search of that restlessness that exists in the background of all beings , the imagery that makes us dream and we always seek whenever we need our most childish and creative essence . This new project was an opportunity to create a retreat for young people, where they could set free all their creativity. In order to achieve this, it was essential to use color to stimulate the spatial and visual perception, so the color effect has become one of the fundamental assumptions we have dealt with in this intervention.

The existing space is an area inside the Kalorias Health Club complex in Oeiras, Lisbon outskirts, and was defined by two large rooms and a large hall, whose initial function was associated with corporate events. The client came to us with the intention of refurbish this space and transform it into a children activity center. The need to create a multipurpose room was defined in the program – large and versatile, allowing different uses; a reading room – dedicated to academic support, watching films, reading books and educational use of computer equipment; a visual arts room – whose main function would be the crafts and visual expression; and finally a more playful room, dedicated to fun and physical games.

Based on these programmatic needs, the spaces were adapted retaining the most of the existing structures, however a logic of adding new elements was adopted – shall it be new forms, colors, textures, graphics – that in the end could reflect a symbolism that would allow who enter into this space to be transported to a dreamlike reality. This challenge that we put on ourselves led us to wander around and get away from the usual architectural thinking guidelines, forcing us to dematerialize some notions of spatial equilibrium, so we could get to such a detachment from the established reality notions, that in the end would allow us to create a space above all playful and distinct for children.

Each new designed room has unique features, in a sense tells a different story, it’s a destination per say. In all of them there are new design elements that are combined with surprising colors, helping contextualize the spaces in a very particular way. The corridor is the unifying space that communicates with all rooms and adds together the spatial and formal language. The different arches, which are the main distinctive feature of the corridor, symbolize a passage, a promenade for little princesses and small kings, but also serve as a window display for the different rooms/functions. The Reading Room, where was created a small amphitheater, allows children to draw and write around this huge blackboard that also can become a huge screen, for movies and cartoons.

The Room for Visual Arts gives primacy to curves and organic shapes and vibrant colors to stimulate visual expression. The huge blue ceiling sparkled with white lamps is a reminiscent of a starry sky, while the pierced walls uncover small hiding spaces and create unique visual effects. In the Play Room, the green carpet dilutes the ground with the wall which in turn is wrapped in a set of colored slopes deconstructing the ceiling. The last room at the end of this magical corridor is assumed to be the most versatile space, which is defined as an open area and a playful space that is distinguished by its tetris color mountain and a small stage for theatrics.

Nevertheless, the most rewarding aspect of this project is still to come… the time to see how different children adapt and appropriate this space as their own, the time to observe how this dream world created by adults can fit in a child’s imagination. In the end we aspire that this new space that has been reborn with lively colors, unusual shapes and unique features could help achieve the children’s full potential.

Architect & Designer: João Amaral, Manuela Tamborino/ Estúdio AMATAM

Client: Salgado e Vaz, Lda

Location: Av. Duque de Loulé nº 50, 2795-050 Linda-a-Velha, Portugal

Use: Activities center for children

Size: 410㎡

Floor covering: Restored natural wood and Gerflor vinyl floor tiles

Walls: Painted plasterboard; wallpaper, artificial turf, ceramic tiles and vinyl tiles.

Ceiling systems: plasterboard and concrete ceiling.

Lighting CLIMAR

Furniture: IKEA, Pufonline