Harris Family Children's Center

Narratives

Childcare facility on Private Secondary School Campus

The design of this facility reflects the philosophy of Loris Malaguzzi and the Reggio Emilia Schools in Italy. Our client, a Reggio Emilia admirer, also had the opportunity to tour these schools in Italy. She found the educational approach compelling and resonant with the philosophy of the secondary school where the project is located.

The building and interiors were designed to look residential in scale and materials and “New England” in character. Gable roofs, wood siding and double-hung windows create a welcoming home-like structure.

Each classroom has unique architectural and educational features. The “living room” is a circular entry space for the toddler/infant classrooms. It eases the transition into school. Built-in benches create a theatre or story time space as well as an entry. The preschool and school-age classrooms have large built-in art sinks, artifact walls, a computer room and an open kitchen with a counter for cooking instruction.

The physical environment in the Reggio Emilia schools is referred to as the child’s “third teacher.” The basic principles associated with Reggio Emilia are: Centrality, Transparency, Horizontality, Atelier and Natural Exterior Environments.

Centrality in the Italian school precedents is a central “piazza” where a sense of community and public identity are fostered. Our building is designed around a generous entry lobby that connects the two wings of the school. The lobby has a cupola and skylight, built-in soft seating and a dramatic window wall. This wall frames the playground and its deep sills serve as a gallery for display for both interior and exterior activities.

Transparency is created by interior windows that make spatial connections, allowing children to see other activities, while enhancing supervision by adults. For instance, the centrally-located Director’s office has views of classrooms, the lobby, front entry and backyard. The underlying theme is “open lines of sight.”

Horizontality creates interconnections among the various spaces, age-groups and functions. Although, practical and operational issues led to separating the infants and toddlers from the preschool and after-school on the two sides of the lobby, all children share the building and many of the special spaces.

The Harkness Room, an Atelier for research and experimentation, is situated outside of the infant/toddler classrooms while the Multi-purpose Room is located across the lobby. The locations and visibility of these spaces encourage interaction and exploration by all. In addition, the courtyard in the center of these Atelier spaces is, in effect, a shared outdoor classroom.

Natural Exterior Environments are visible from all the classrooms and are carried inside by the Director’s wonderful collections of shells, nests, stones and twigs. The site is designed with meandering paths, natural foliage, vegetable and flower gardens, a hill outcrop and diverse play areas, including a gazebo by the river. Traditional play structures for children are enhanced with opportunities to explore and learn about the outdoors.

The facility successfully integrates the site, building and interiors and reflects the Director’s New England interpretation of the Reggio Emilia precedents.

Educator Narrative

“We place enormous value on the role of the environment as a motivating and animating force in creating spaces for relations, options, and emotional and cognitive situations that produce a sense of well-being and security.”
Loris Malaguzzi
Reggio Emilia, Italy

The design and development of the Children’s Center was a collaborative project in which educators and architects worked closely with one another to create an environment that would support the schools mission. We believe that the environment plays a tremendous role in what we are able to expose our children to at a very young age: appreciation of the arts and sciences, opportunities for exploration and experimentation, and a close connection to and respect for the environment.

The design of the building was intended to be highly functional and adaptable as we serve a wide age range of students as young as 6 weeks through 5 years of age. We also offer after school care for elementary school age children and the building transforms during the summer months to accommodate 40 additional students in our summer camp program.

At the 2007 CECDE Conference in Dublin, Ireland, “Vision into Practice; Making Quality a Reality in the Lives of Young Children”, the building was referenced in a symposium by Michael Kalinowski, Ed.D entitled “Elegant Interior and Exterior Play Spaces for Young Children”. Kalinowski goes on to quote: “Research suggests that design plays an essential role in defining quality in programs for young children”.
(Phillips, 1987; Le Corbusier, 1968).

We felt it essential to create an environment that was esthetically pleasing to children and adults alike. With this in mind, the center provides comfortable alternative areas where parents can spend time with their children when visiting during the course of the day. In addition to the spacious classrooms, we have incorporated several common areas where children can explore, collaborate, and engage in multi-sensorial experiences. One of the children’s favorite areas is the Harkness Conservatory modeled after the Italian Atelier.

One very important architectural feature was the use of natural light and a direct correlation between the interior and the exterior of the building. This goal was accomplished with an abundance of windows low enough for young children to observe the passing of time and the change of seasons. Upon entering the building, one can peer through a huge wall of windows that looks out over the great lawn and the river beyond. The flooring, carpet and curved walls mimic the flow of the river creating a very soothing atmosphere.

Our outdoor learning environment is an integral part of the learning process and serves as an extension to the classroom. The back yard abuts the Squamscott River where children spend countless hours observing and documenting the local flora and fauna.

From a pedagogical perspective, the environment plays a vital role in the education of young children and is an essential constituent in providing high quality early childhood education.