Located in Glendale, California, the 23,000 square-foot childcare facility is designed to accommodate 236 children between infant and Pre-K ages.  The sustainable strategies incorporated into the building are key visual and tactile elements in the design, emphasizing the facility as both a learning environment and an educational tool. 

The design incorporates recycled and green materials throughout the complex .The center features rammed earth walls, which not only have the potential to last indefinitely, but regulate heat flow, allowing for minimal environmental impact. Rammed earth walls function to absorb heat during the day and release it at night, cutting energy costs dramatically. The Childcare Center also features rainscreen exterior walls, which not only serve to waterproof the structure, but allow it to breathe. Our rainscreens--in addition to strategic window placement-- provide an additional layer of insulation, further increasing the energy efficiency of the complex. These sustainable elements do not merely serve as a stage set for the Center and its students, but demand interaction; the system of solar panels forms a protective canopy over the pedestrian walkway, fulfilling a functional purpose while also showcasing the complex’s environmentally-conscious features to all who walk beneath it.

These design features create a colorful, dynamic environment that invites engagement and education. By integrating sustainable design features into the learning environment, our hope is to inspire children to become enlightened decision makers of tomorrow.