Name me Lawand

Our project is a bilingual kindergarten designed to teach sign and spoken language according to deaf space principles. Inspired by the documentary Name Me Lawand, which chronicles the challenges faced by a young Kurdish, deaf refugee, our initiative aims to create a nurturing environment where deaf children can connect and thrive. Lawand’s experience illustrates the significance of communication and community, which we seek to foster through thoughtful architectural design.

Our kindergarten focuses on three main goals: providing early access to sign language, promoting its use within the broader community, and offering parents the chance to learn sign language to enhance family communication. By including hard-of-hearing children and teaching sign language to hearing peers, we aim to normalise its use and create a deaf-friendly atmosphere. The exchange room will host lectures for parents on sign language and related topics.

Situated at Kanzleiareal, our kindergarten is conveniently located near a playground, the Spielbaracke, the kanzbi library, speech therapy, and a music school, enriching our educational approach with a variety of opportunities for children. The architecture is tailored to the needs of deaf children, prioritising visual accessibility and acoustics. The main focus is on building for a visual overview and creating comfortable room acoustics. Rooms are separated by curtains and are differentiated through different materials and colours, allowing a better orientation. Transparent elements and rounded edges promote visual clarity, while the circular structure creates a central node that connects the various spaces.

Additionally, the kindergarten uses child-friendly scales, allowing children to explore and create independently. The sinks and toilets adapted to children scale, but also the children only area, allowing a self-build cave, encourage a child's independence. In conclusion, our bilingual kindergarten enhances self-expression through dual language instruction, supporting deaf children's connections with peers and ensuring barrier-free integration into daily kindergarten life.

Project by: Dilara Su Baysal, Esen Demirci, Flurina Schulz

Teaching team: Anna Puigjaner, Dafni Retzepi, Ethel Baraona Pohl, Jo Baan, Lisa Maillard, Luis Úrculo, Pol Esteve Castelló, He Shen

Spring 2024