Designing creative environments for children is at the heart of what nimptsch ausstattung und design does best. The process always begins with exploration – surveying the surroundings, understanding the terrain, and listening carefully to the client's vision and needs. For the Kleiner Pütt daycare centre, operated by the German Child Protection Association's Essen chapter, the design direction emerged naturally from its remarkable setting: nestled beside the UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein, the 1,200 m² outdoor space needed to authentically reflect the area's rich mining heritage.

On the grounds of the former coal mine, forward-thinking companies and design studios have found their home – including the prestigious Folkwang University of the Arts. One such office building houses the four-section Kleiner Pütt daycare on its ground floor, with an outdoor area that required thoughtful design. The site itself consists of two plateaus with a gentle slope, framed by the building and parking areas, and opening toward a protected green buffer zone. Here, 76 children – from infants through kindergarten age – discover play spaces tailored to their developmental stages and growing capabilities. The design creates distinct zones for the youngest group (under three) and older children (three and up): quiet retreats, open play areas, gathering spaces, and sand play zones. Newly planted trees will eventually join the double sun sail canopies to provide essential shade. The outdoor experience features a multi-level climbing structure topped with a stylized mine headframe, a tunnel-like passage, sandbox, slide, and an interconnected platform landscape with bridges and ramps. Additional attractions include miniature freight cars, a sand chute and sand elevator, a playhouse with illuminated bridge, and a log-stacking game. Children can test themselves on the climbing net, build balance skills with the five-part obstacle course complete with water features, or experience the pure joy of swinging in the bird's nest. Learning swings for toddlers, hammocks, and balance logs round out this richly varied play environment. The materials chosen – robinia wood and stainless steel connectors – prioritize durability and sustainability, while fall protection standards have been carefully integrated throughout.

www.nimptsch-art.de

Photography Credits:

Niclas Waldheim
www.waldheim-net.de

(Published in CUBE Ruhrgebiet 01|24)