Mentally disabled children in the middle of the neighbourhood

The Aveleijn Foundation is a care organisation that offers day care and various forms of living to over 2.500 clients with a (mental) disability in Twente and part of the Achterhoek area. The foundation managed a day care for children aged 0 to 18 in a former monastery building near the centre of Hengelo. In 2000, the foundation decided they wanted a brand new building elsewhere in the city and chose a location in the expansion district of Vossenbelt.

CLEAR LINES IN BRICK BLOCKS

Children's Day Centre De Toermalijn in the North of Hengelo offers treatment and guidance to children with a (mental) disability or a development gap, in a multifunctional child-friendly building. The material and colour choices in the building are tailored to the target audience: lots of glass, very colourful and varied.

The complex consists of two buildings, each with its own character: a part to reside in and a part for activities. At the point where the two buildings meet, the central meeting hall with entrance is located. The parts are located in a shifted position from one another, resulting in two outer spaces. One is the entrance square to the north, where cars can drive and park to drop off and pick up the children. The other is the private south-facing garden located at the back of the building, which has a variety of possibilities to play for the children.

The wing where the children reside has ten group rooms that have views of the garden or the street. From three patios in the centre, additional light flows into the hallway giving access to the rooms. The activity section includes various functions, such as rooms for physiotherapy, a gymnastics hall, a calm room and a swimming pool.