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Design for Early Learning Symposium 2021

10/11/2021

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In September 2021, I had the pleasure of participating in the Design for Early Learning Symposium.

It was organized as a conversation between designers, educators, administrators and other interested in environments for early learning. Here are some of the things I took away from the symposium:
  • We need to find the time to be able to include educators and children in the design of their spaces - this is a tricky one for architects, whose work is fee- and time-based, and for educators, who are very busy with their day-to-day teaching. Once a project is on a development schedule (permits! contractors! final decisions!), it is hard to find the time for a meaningful back-and-forth of ideas.
  • This work requires a serious commitment to empathy
  • As designers, we can create affordances; for example, a window ledge at child sit height affords the possibility of sitting and looking out.

I am looking forward to continuing the conversation, and continuing to do independent research. Here are a few books mentioned as inspirational by early childhood educators at the Symposium that I am enjoying, which go beyond 'architectural' design and engage with ideas around design more generally:

The Design of Everyday Things, by Donald A. Norman
Children, spaces, relations, edited by Giulio Ceppi and Michele Zini
Natural Playscapes by Rusty Keeler


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Talking about stormwater with Giddens School

5/27/2021

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I was delighted to visit the Giddens School last week to talk to 4th and 5th graders about stormwater systems on their campus. We looked at some civil drawings together, talked about all the paths that water travels both inside and outside the building, and how that water is cleaned and reused before it enters the municipal system - which eventually travels to the Duwamish River - and walked around the building looking at some systems in action!

Photo courtesy of the Giddens School
Sustainability signage ©Anjali Grant Design

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Seattle Land Use Changes to Support Child Care

8/28/2020

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I am pleased to share with you that there are new zoning incentives to make child care easier to permit and build in Seattle, from a Land Use perspective.

Per Ordinance 126131, newly adopted:

> Child care centers are now a permitted use in singe-family zones In multifamily MR and HR zones, gross floor area for child care centers is exempt from FAR. (FAR = floor area ratio, which relates to how much you are allowed to build on a given site)
> Childcare centers are a permitted use in all commercial zones, and gross floor area for child care centers is exempt from FAR.
> Childcare centers in SM-U and SM-UP zones are exempt from FAR.

Seattle's Land Use codes are complex, and a conditional use permit may still be required where the project does not meet development standards outright - but this opens the door to many.

The full text of the Ordinance is here:
http://seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=8663294&GUID=1CDED027-B967-4EC9-AAAC-8254E93BE18B
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Giddens groundbreaking & new school by Tezuka Architects

1/8/2019

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Contractor Exxel Pacific carefully placed a kid-sized mound of 'groundbreaking' dirt just outside the construction fence for the Giddens School groundbreaking...messy fun!
Across the world, Tezuka Architects have created yet another astonishing preschool, the Muku Nursery. It consists of a series of freestanding circular pavilions, both enclosed and open air; link here.
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Materials for Early Learning spaces

5/4/2018

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In April 2018, I traveled to Denver for the annual Early Childhood Design conference. A standout presentation was one by Paula Burns McEvoy, from Perkins and Will, who spoke about the hidden toxins in commonly used building materials. She's the force behind the Transparency website, which has an abundance of information on building materials and what they contain.
https://transparency.perkinswill.com/

In early childhood spaces that are licensed by the state, there is an inherent conflict between health policy as determined by the Department of Health (i.e., no germs) and the risk to health by some of the chemicals used to protect us - plastics, disinfectants, foam, flame retardants.
https://www.ewg.org/healthychildcare

So what to do?
  1. Get VCT off of the floor. Yes, it is inexpensive, but vinyl is a probable risk to human health. Small children spend most of their time on the floor. Here are my favorite alternatives:
    - Linoleum. Real linoleum is fabulous!
    - Wood - but watch for formaldehyde
    - Cork
    - Rubber
  2. Select furnishings and toys carefully. Look for Greenguard certifications for furniture; here's a link to a searchable directory for early learning furniture. Even Greenguard-certified products (nap mats!) may have foam and vinyl, so consider other options, such as cots.
  3. Get outside & bring fresh air in. If you have an older mechanical system with inadequate air delivery, consider installing an ERV (energy recovery ventilator) to bring in fresh air without sacrificing on heating costs.
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Taleny School in Guadalajara

5/4/2018

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In February 2018 I had the opportunity to visit the Taleny School in Guadalajara, México, designed by Aro Estudio. It's a beautiful campus that houses students from preschool through middle school. The climate allows for a very integrated site and building, with exterior walkways and courtyards, breezeways and an abundance of skillfully controlled natural light.
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urban preschool playgrounds

12/29/2015

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The last time I traveled to Manhattan I visited a few preschools to observe how the urban condition affects preschool design. The most significant difference between schools in our region and those in NYC is the availability of outdoor space. Above are two play spaces tucked into the slivers of leftover land between multistory apartment buildings on the Upper West side. Although direct sun is minimal, daylight is nonetheless a powerful force. Note the mirror on the image to the right.
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NY Times article on the kindergarten classroom

6/16/2014

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This article simplifies things somewhat, but the basic premise is interesting - not so much the idea that clutter is 'distracting', but rather the idea of leaving space for (children's own) making.
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case study: Montessori school in a repurposed residence

6/3/2014

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In January I visited the preschool (where my son was enrolled more than a few years ago) to observe and talk to teachers. This school is located in a dense urban neighborhood and serves a diverse group of children.
The outdoor space is a hotbed of activity. One of the favorite winter pastimes, according to teachers, is playing with rain:
pouring, scooping, carrying water, 'cooking' with wood chips, making mud, watering plants.
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The rainbarrel makes a good leaning post.

Below are some comments from teachers. I've included their 'wish lists' as well. You never know.

on outdoor space

  • Outdoor space is critical.
  • Have a door directly to the outside so that children can go freely in & out; doors should be easy to open. Bigger kids can go up and down stairs to go outside.
  • Wish list: more land, huge garden, animals, kids' bike shed for afternoon rides, dirt mounds, outdoor amphitheater.

on child-centeredness
  • Independent exploration is important.
  • Things should be child-sized; not too many high walls; let children see and survey the entire room.
  • Children want to squeeze into small spaces.
  • Children should be able to open windows as long as it is safe.
  • Let the kids build their own world. Avoid Disney-fication.

on teacher's needs
  • Everything should be mobile so that the teacher can arrange the space as needed.
  • You always need more space than you think, particularly outside.
  • Storage for each classroom is ideal; it is nice to be able to see what you plan to use the next day.
  • Music spaces need soundproofing. In general, acoustic dampening is very important.
  • Wish list: display/presentation space for the whole school. For example, weekly, a language teacher could leave out materials and objects.
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what can you do with a fence?

1. hang jackets!


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2. nail on some bark

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3. grow some plants

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"Spaces should not feel precious." Above are planters made from repurposed utility pipes.
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"Things should be child-sized." The bottom step of a residence doubles as a toddler seat. Dutch architect Herman Hertzberger was a master of the multifunctional stair.
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fuji kindergarten

6/3/2014

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Link to Tezuka Architect's webpage with photos of the building

One of my favorite education buildings - although I have only seen it in photos - Fuji Kindergarten is a reminder to create spaces for joyous play, not just facilities for parking our kids while we are at work!


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    I'm a Seattle-based architect interested in spaces for early childhood.

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