This early childhood education centre for 105 children provides an essential community hub for a large new housing development at the southern edge of Auckland. The project was initiated from an innovative collaboration between New Shoots, the specialist early childhood educator, and Classic Developments, the developer of the residential subdivision which provided project finance, engaged the design team and managed the construction contract.

A triangular space in the middle of the subdivision defined by the new roading layout proved too difficult to divide up for residential units. Forming an unusual site, it is well placed in the centre of the new community and will eventually be surrounded by houses on all sides. The design reconciles the need to provide enough interior teaching spaces, external play areas and car parking to meet the exacting specialist’s brief and detailed legislative and licensing requirements for early childhood education

The generous roof extends to provide verandas on all four sides. Light-coloured timber finishes to the veranda decks and soffits create warm inviting external spaces actively encouraging children to play in the open air, shaded from the sun. The children’s play area veranda roof is punctuated with translucent panels above the courtyard cut-out.

External play areas incorporate significant shade structures and provide an abundant variety of tactile experiences for learning and discovery.

The building has an open aspect on all sides, hence prompting the provision of generous verandas for weather protection.

The important role of this building is to provide light, healthy spaces for nurturing young persons in clean air and open surroundings, so introducing future generations at their first steps to a well designed environment formed with benign materials. Timber was chosen as the primary structure of the building, with the smallest carbon footprint in comparison to other construction products. Wood buildings also improve air quality, humidity and even the emotional well-being and creative expression of occupants; so wherever possible, timber is exposed rather than covered over.

Small timber seats inserted into exposed engineered timber V-struts at the veranda edge create additional play opportunities.

Close collaboration with New Shoots has achieved a level of continuity and integration from inside to outside through the architectural language, structure, and materiality. The interior furnishings and bespoke furniture designed and assembled by New Shoots add texture and colour, creating a calming and playful space for children to be inspired.

The colour palette acknowledges the natural timber hues while providing a neutral backdrop to the animation of the colourful furniture, toys and play equipment. Exterior steel siding and aluminium windows are recessively coloured.

A key decision was the use of a ground concrete floor as a finish, interspersed with areas of carpet for soft activities. These choices were greatly influenced by hygiene and maintenance requirements.

User comfort was key to the design of the spaces. The building is completely accessible and unisex facilities have been designed for inclusivity. The children’s service spaces and sleep areas are geared to ensure comfort and privacy. Timed, low-flow fixtures were used to mitigate potable water wastage.

This centre and its location provides both the social and economic sustainability to this area, serving hundreds of new homes now and in the future, having capacity for further growth. It creates an anchor for the development and helps nurture and support growth within the community, making life much easier for the parents.

Natural light and ventilation are essential ingredients. An east-facing translucent roof strip admits diffused light, energising spaces in the mornings while avoiding solar gain in the afternoon. The deeper western veranda and louvred windows aerate the children’s activity spaces. A combination of high-level lighting with light coloured surfaces and cabinetry minimises the need for artificial lighting during daytime. Low-toxicity building materials used throughout include insulation, acoustic ceiling panels and paint finishes. Shade structures in the garden are planted with natural creepers that will permanently replace the fabric sails eventually.

A rectangular plan, serrated at each end to suit site constraints, is organised around a circulation corridor with ‘adult’ and service spaces to the east and more protected ‘children’ spaces to the west. Structure is arranged to either side of this corridor, with short-span trusses to suit flat ceilings along the eastern edge and long-span trusses to accommodate high raked acoustic ceilings in the children’s spaces and reception area. A continuous east-facing high-level window brings in morning light, energising the children’s activity spaces.