Baupiloten is a group of architecture students who during their studies at Faculty VI, Institute for Architecture at Berlin Technical University (Technische Universität Berlin) develop their own projects from concept to implementation under professional guidance. Architect Susanne Hoffmann founded Baupiloten (Bau=build, Piloten=pilot) in 2003 and has headed it since 2004.
The Taka-Tuka-Land kindergarten was originally erected as a temporary solution, but with the fantastic Baupiloten approach to the refurbishment, it has become a permanent place for children.
The Taka-Tuka-Land is part of the
Pippi Longstocking
lore created by the Swedish author Astrid Lindgren. Pippi in Taka-Tuka
Country is a movie based on one of her novels. The children at the
kindergarten and their teachers created collages, models, drawings and
ideas based on Taka-Tuka Land with bridges, huts, merry-go-rounds made
of blossoms and thrones made of seashells. The Baupiloten students then
spent several days with the children observing their daily routines,
their schedules and their ways of communication.
From this extensive groundwork, the design story for the space was
developed. The building itself is Pippi’s old oak tree that contains a
lemonade factory. The lemonade breaks through the bark of the tree and
flows outside creating padded play areas. The story of the building is a
trip through the seven stages of the lemon tree, each facilitating a
different activity: The lemonade tree, Glittering lemonade in the sun,
Lemonade drops, The lemonade island, Waiting for the parents, Lemonade
gallery.
