Consider

the entire

process

For us, it’s not the product
that comes first, but the question.

We ask questions to understand the problem.

When Kameleon receives an inquiry, it is usually very specific: a new building is planned, an existing space is to be redesigned, certain elements are desired. However, what interests us fi rst is something else: Before we talk about products and room concepts, we want to understand what is really needed.

So, at the beginning of the collaboration, we deliberately take a few steps back and first want to find out what expectations are placed on the space and what needs it must fulfi ll. To this end, we ask questions:
+ What do children really need in the eyes of the institution?
+ What experiences should they be allowed to have here?
+ What image of themselves do they develop in this space?

That is why we want to be involved as early as possible, ideally before the fi rst line is drawn, because it is precisely in this early phase—the so-called planning phase 0—that the quality of a building's later everyday use is determined.

... and first take a look at the environment.

A play platform can be useful—or it can become a problem. A long hallway can be a space for movement— or a reason for prohibitions. That’s why we always consider the entire environment.

Our experience from several hundred projects has made us sensitive to those areas where planning and educational reality diverge unnoticed—for pathways, room layouts, or assigned function that seem logical on paper but lead to restrictions in daily operation. Our aim is to make these aspects visible before they become entrenched.

That is why we deliberately separate the product and the consulting process. This allows us to ensure that we provide independent advice and are not primarily interested in selling a specific item. We do not sell anything that does not make sense. This independence allows us to develop plans based on needs rather than products. In some cases, this also means reorganizing existing structures or achieving better quality with existing resources; then, the focus is on consulting rather than sales.

… and transform educational requirements into a spatial form.

Between a good educational intention and a space that really works in everyday life, there is a crucial step: translation. This is exactly where our planning work begins. In practice, there is rarely just one idea that simply needs to be implemented. Usually, many factors come together at the same time: age structure, group sizes, available materials, structural conditions, budget, or even the social and cultural context of an institution. Each of these conditions changes the scope and thus the appropriate solution.

Each of these conditions alters the scope of possibilities and, consequently, the appropriate solution. This close scrutiny shapes our translation process. We examine where structures need to be refined, where pathways are misaligned, or where spaces may appear logical on paper but create friction in everyday life. Ultimately, every planning process is a matter of weighing options. The key is to identify the few right levers and consistently think from the child’s perspective.

We believe that good spaces are not created by trying to make everything possible, but by setting the right priorities.

… and ask the questions before it gets expensive.

We know the pattern: there is a project, and depending on the focus of those involved, ideas, images in the mind, routines emerge ... Suddenly, supposed solutions emerge because someone with a certain background of experience asks a particular question and thus sets the course. It is precisely this randomness that we remove from the process.

Instead, we open up the question, specify it, and examine the actual scope for action. This often reveals that crucial decisions for later use are made much earlier than traditional planning processes provide for. A key guiding question here is: What is not needed? It is precisely this perspective that is often overlooked—we consciously bring it to the fore.

This phase may be uncomfortable. It should even create a little unrest, because this is exactly were it becomes apparent were additional work will be required later on.

… and condense the concept into space.

It is usually very easy to tell whether a space supports educational work or whether its design actually hinders it: In our view, well-designed spaces enable children to act more freely, with greater concentration, and more independently—they invite deeper engagement and support longer play sessions.
What is crucial here is how materials, structure, and atmosphere interact, because children perceive spaces intuitively: They sense whether a place provides orientation, whether it welcomes them, and what it invites them to do. Clarity and comprehensible structures create a sense of security, and this is precisely what forms the basis for independent action. For us, therefore, the goal is to spatially facilitate so-called “learning” without predetermining it.

The less a space is defined by its function, the more children can make it their own. This is precisely where the quality of a viable design lies: spaces provide orientation while remaining open enough for children to fill them with their own current interests.

Where ideas take shape.

Once the planning has been approved, Kameleon begins the phase in which the previously developed solutions are translated into reality. In the workshop in Mainleus, drawings, bill of material and programme data are turned into a specific structure consisting of components, surfaces and connections. What was previously planned is continued here.

Each order follows our proven sequence of work preparation:
+ with a view to later everyday use digital manufacturing
+ efficiently controlled without losing sight of the space
+ and fine-tuning by hand with the care of traditional craftsmanship. This structure ensures reliability in the process— regardless of whether a single element or a comprehensive range of equipment is being prepared.

When planning meets everyday life.

With installation, a project reaches the phase where the design and shop work must prove themselves in the real-world environment: What was carefully prepared now meets the existing buildings, established processes and the people who will use the spaces on a daily basis in the future. Now, the key is to translate the design into the specifi c situation
on-site so that it works in practice.

Our assembly teams always work in direct communication with the institution—each installation is coordinated on-site to ensure that it fits into the day-to-day operations and takes into account the childcare teams’ workflows. Especially in daycare centres, this requires particular attention to schedules, routines, and situations that can only be planned to a limited extent in advance. It is important for us to show consideration and to engage in open and reliable coordination with all parties involved, so that the implementation really fits everyday life.

… so that spaces achieve balance and everyday life becomes noticeably easier.

Whether a space truly supports children is not determined solely by its floor plan, furnishings, or materials—the acoustic quality of a space is a crucial factor, yet one that is still frequently underestimated in the planning process. From our project experience, we know that in many facilities, acoustics only come into focus once daily life is already noticeably suffering from background noise. We therefore view acoustic planning as an integral part of spatial design. For us, good acoustics always begins with what actually happens in the space, because every use brings its own dynamics: A group room functions differently than a dining area; a space for physical activity poses different demands than a place for retreat and concentration. What matters, therefore, is not so much a single acoustic counterbalance to noise, but rather a precise understanding of what takes place there on a daily basis.

Our goal is to balance spaces in such a way that communication remains effortless, periods of concentration are protected, and both children and adults can feel comfortable there over the long term.

… so that opportunities for action can be identified.

Part of our work takes place outside of specific projects: Through webinars, professional development sessions, and consulting formats, we work with educational teams to reinterpret existing spaces and better understand their impact on daily life.

Often, this is less about major renovations and more about developing a sharper eye for existing structures, the arrangement of materials, and workflows—in other words, the questions that usually get lost in the day-to-day because “that’s just how it’s always been.” The focus is on shared reflection. It is important to us that participants can understand why certain spatial decisions have an impact in everyday life. To this end, we work extensively with concrete examples from real-world practice and strive to inspire a joy in experimentation. It is precisely this translation into concrete terms that makes training for teams tangible and enables changes that can begin without major restructuring.

Our goal is not to prescribe ready-made solutions, but to instill confidence in participants’ own ability to think ahead.

… and ensure this from the very beginning.

Quality at Kameleon does not arise only in the workshop or during assembly, but already in the organizational structures that support projects over long periods of time. In the administration, central threads come together for this—from tenders and funding logics to ongoing coordination with customers, planning, and production. Short paths, regular coordination meetings, and a consciously transparent information culture ensure that even complex projects remain manageable.

At the same time, we consistently keep the economic perspective of the customer in mind. Careful planning helps to avoid unnecessary construction costs and to improve working conditions in such a way that peak loads in everyday life can be reduced. In the medium and long term, institutions benefit from more stable processes and fewer illness-related absences in the childcare team.

This structural diligence continues in manufacturing. A key part of our understanding of quality lies in depicting as many work steps as possible inhouse and working with regional partners we can always rely on.

… with rooms that educate!

We design spaces for children.

To do this, we ask questions. Lots of questions. Because those who work with Kame­leon aren’t usually looking primarily for furniture—but for answers.

Answers to why a long hallway suddenly becomes a racetrack. Why a platform sometimes inspires—and sometimes gets in the way of daily life. Or why a space looks coherent on paper yet still creates friction in real-life use.

Since 1995, we have been working with a growing multidisciplinary team to make precisely these connections visible and translate them into viable spatial solutions. What defines our work is a consistently holistic perspective: We understand, we question, we translate, we conceptualize, we design, we embrace silence, we manufacture, we assemble, we stand for quality and provenance—and we share our knowledge.