Hope Early Intervention Center in Pécs

University of Pécs, Faculty of Engineering and IT, Institute of Architecture (UP FEIT IA)

Project idea

Last year an estimated 140 million babies were born worldwide. Many children, approximately 3-4% are born with a disability because of genetic, environmental or unexplained reasons. Early intervention centers (EIC) are destined to help these children and their families, to improve the quality of the life they will live.

In Pécs there are many early intervention centers, but none of them operates in buildings designed for this type of task. The biggest early intervention center is settled in the corner of a kindergarten in the Kertváros district, but fights with deficit of space.

My goal was to create a building designed definitely for development and diagnostics of children fighting with disabilities and difficulties. This EIC building is designed to simultaneously practice all the types of therapies and methods used in Hungary. The main aspect of the design is to create a motivational, friendly and inviting environment for the development and growth of children.

Project description

I considered it important, that my work would reflect on real life problems and needs. Therefore, in the early days of the project's preparation I visited two professional educators working on the field of children's development. Thanks to these two interviews I came to know a more human picture of their work and I was able to design an operable architectural program.

Fundamentally, the building is created around a closed, green atrium, to create a safe space-sensation. The mass of the building consists of a large, single-floor part covered with flat roof. For this mass, 3 "houses" emerge above the flat roof. These houses have two-story height, gable roof and they serve to converge rooms of similar therapies, e.g. rooms for physical therapies, swimming pool with the equipment etc. Around the atrium there is the communication corridor of the building. This enclosed corridor is divided into shorter sections by the "houses". This is beneficial to control the movement of children and their parents.

The basic idea in the space-organizing was that the frequently used rooms are located nearer to the main entrance, the less often used rooms are settled in the further parts of the building.

Technical information

The three "houses" are made of Porotherm 44 X-Therm ceramic bricks, covered by Equitone fiber-cement facade and roof cladding. I chose eternit facade because it's endurance and its modularity to create an exciting facade. The Porotherm 44 X-therm is able to fulfil every technological requirement without extra heat insulation. The single-story part is surrounded by curtain wall structure.

The heating of the building is ensured by ground collector heat pump and recuperating heating. The heating is implemented by floor heating systems. The ventilation system is located on the flat roof under the extended gable roof. Maintenance is possible by the external stairs attached to the wall.

Most of the electrical energy is produced by solar panels settled on the flat roof.

Created in: