Gjai Kindergarten/

Henning Larsen

Faroe Islands

Share Your Green Design | Gjai Kindergarten

Location(City/Country):

Gøtugjógv / Faroe Islands

Tipology:

Educational

Year (Design/Construction):

- / 2025

Area (Net/Gross):

1300 m2 / -

Operational Carbon emissions (B6) kgCO2e/m2/y:

Embodied Carbon emissions (A1-A3) kgCO2e/m2:

The building is constructed with timber CLT beams and ash wood, creating a healthy indoor environment.
The building integrates a geothermal heating system, optimising energy efficiency and reducing its environmental impact.
The use of timber materials and full-height windows facilitates natural ventilation, while sound-absorbing panels ensure acoustic comfort, creating a serene and healthy environment.

Located in the Faroese village of Gøtugjógv, Henning Larsen’s design for Gjai Kindergarten blends
nature and education, providing a welcoming place for young children ages 3 to 6.

The two-story building spans 1,300m2, featuring a daycare center on the upper level, and a
kindergarten on the lower level. Inspired by the landscape, the kindergarten is tucked in the hillside,
emerging from a slope and descending to the coastline. This positioning offers views of the
neighboring mountains and the North Atlantic Ocean, allowing children to feel connected to the
surrounding nature.

The building is composed of timber CLT beams and ash wood, ensuring a comfortable and healthy
environment. The portico in front of the kindergarten, supported by wooden pillars, is a child-safe,
flexible space for play. The nursery is strategically placed at an angle, creating a small green roof
above the kindergarten. Additionally, the roof garden above the nursery provides a larger open-air
space for the children to explore and enjoy. Both floors of the building feature full-height windows
and skylights, which, combined with the timber materials, contain a geothermal heating system,
optimizing energy efficiency. The use of wood also promotes natural ventilation flows. Acoustic
comfort is also a priority, with sound-absorbing panels installed in the ceiling to create a serene
atmosphere.