There’s the two (and very different) types of
end users – children and educators. There’s the
fact that childcare-aged kids are perhaps the
most destructive and prone-to-incident group of
human beings there is. And there’s also the very
real responsibility that your design will impact
upon the personal and physical development of
the children occupying the space.
As the designer, balancing all these influences
can be a very difficult task, one that demands
immense attention to detail across all phases
of a project as well as a thorough understanding
of the forever evolving design standards and
best practice education methods in the early
learning sector.
The transition from “child-minding” to
“early learning” in Australian childcare centres
over the past decade is one of those influences
which has had an enormous impact on the
way architects and designers approach an ELC
project. Floorplans, materiality and FF&E are
now, more than ever, meticulously curated
and tied back to the way ELCs in Australia
principally operate - as an environment for
a child’s cognitive and physical development.IF THESE WALLS COULD TEACH:
PEDAGOGY IN THE BUILDING FABRICAs with all building types, moving walls or
altering linings in ELCs has a knock-on effect
for structural, hydraulic, mechanical, fire and
electrical services as well as Section J and other
BCA requirements. But it also carries extra weight
in an ELC because wall types and linings can
impact the functioning of the centre and therefore
the learning environment for its children.At Barangaroo ELC in Sydney, the architects
chose a very unique partition method which, in
a lot of ways, defines how the centre operates.
The Collins & Turner design employs a circa
100-metre long joinery wall with floor-to-ceiling
cabinetry of multiple types, sizes and colours–
an architectural feat its own right.
But the wall doesn’t just look good. By
choosing this partition method, the architects
provided the operator with a huge amount
of storage options– something you cannot
underestimate in ELC environments, as well
as a unique system for displaying things like
mandatory childcare provider information,
educator documentation, kitchen menus and
artworks by the children.
At River Garden ELC in Melbourne, SJB
Architects employed a more traditional open
floorplan divided by a mixture of low-height
walls and amenity pods. This partitioning or
blocking system follows the provider’s student-
centred education philosophy which encourages
children to move about freely and learn how to
use the spaces on their own terms.
River Garden also has a mezzanine level
which is used as an art and workshopping
area. The walls of the mezzanine are full height
glazing, lined with a frosting decal. The decal
lining, beyond offering a unique architectural
expression and a play on the natural light that
enters the room, is designed to provide circular
frames of the views below and to teach children
about different heights and perspectives.
Glass is also king at Queen Street ELC in
Brisbane, where the children are afforded some
of the best views available in the city through
the building’s curtain walls. Inside, the BVNdesign employs many traditional linings but the
coloured mirrored acrylic insets in the level 5
bulkhead are certainly a feature. Light reflects
off the mirrored surfaces and onto the ceilings,
walls and floors surrounding them, providing a
play on light and colour for the children below.NATURE’S PLAY: TIMBER IS KINGThe use of timber as a building material in
commercial construction is as popular as ever.
Touted for its sustainability, natural tactility,
health benefits and, more recently, its structural
performance, timber is widely regarded as the
new [again] frontier for construction.
And the childcare sector hasn’t missed the
beat. In ELC construction, timber is specified as
a lining material to break up what is, generally
speaking, an environment dominated by fit-for-
purpose wall materials – think plasterboard,
glass partitions, tiles, etc.
Timber provides tactility, which is an
important aspect of early learning curriculums,
but it also serves as a reference to the natural
environment which is attractive for ELC
providers in office towers where exposure to
nature is limited.
At River Garden ELC, SJB specified timber
lining to the building’s columns and lift core for
this very reason. The linings were custom built
by the builder but there are proprietry versions
that come ready made. Cedar Sales manufacture
a product called ‘Castleton Stepped Expression’
which provides the same texture and look.
Gunnersen’s suite of timber architectural
lining products is another option for ELC
environments. Its ‘DesignerPly’ range, whichABOvE The floorplan of River Garden ELC is divided by low height partitions and amenity pods, which creates a heightened sense of space and
an easier area to supervise for the centre staff. The glass mezzanine above is lined with a decal to frame views for the children to the areas below.ARChiTECTuRE & dEsiGn /PRACTICAL/ juL-sEp 201976ADQ3_074_076_Internal Walls_V2.indd 76 26/7/19 5:19 pm