Burton Park Preschool

The educational vision was to create a ‘one stop shop’ for the amalgamated Birth-Year 7 Burton School campus. The project involved construction of a new Preschool and Occasional Care facility including specialist consulting room, outdoor play areas, shared Preschool/Primary School community commons and shared early years outdoor learning areas.

Project Details

Architects
Brown Falconer

Address
49a Kensington Way Burton Adelaide, SA 5110 Australia

Submitter
Deb Auckland

Cost
$3.5 million

Photographer
Lyndon Stacy Photographer

Project Overview

The design response focussed on supporting an integrated Birth – Year 7 campus and strengthened links with the local community:

– A community commons at Preschool entry, providing a relaxing landscaped meeting place for parents, students and community and linked to other shared facilities such as the Activity Hall, Library and Out of School Hours Care
– Shared early years (birth to age 8) outdoor learning area including dry creek bed, walking trails and amphitheatre
– Welcoming entry to the Preschool that engages with the community commons and adjacent primary school buildings
– A design language that referenced the existing Primary School buildings and colour palette while providing a contemporary and individual identity for the Preschool.
– Siting in close proximity to Junior Primary to support the creation of a birth to age 8 learning hub and seamless curriculum/transition processes

Indoor and outdoor learning environments were equally important in providing for stimulating and varied learning and play experiences.
– Activity areas linked for flexible programs/different group sizes with direct access to outdoors for children to move freely indoors and outdoors for self directed learning and play
– Occasional Care activity area has operable wall to create separate secure play area with direct access to a secure outdoor play area
– Withdrawal area provides for quiet activities, small groups to watch TV and provides for passive supervision from main activity space
– Kitchen located centrally as the ‘heart’ of the centre and provides for physical and visual access to Preschool and Occasional Care activity areas
– Shared early years (birth to age 8) outdoor play area includes a dry creek bed, bridge, stepping stones, textured path ways, turf mound, amphitheatre seating and performance area
– Preschool outdoor learning and play areas have a diverse range of activity zones to support imaginative, non-structure and active play including covered sandpit, dry creek bed, turf mounds, dramatic play platforms, veggie patch, bike track, blackboard fencing panels and fixed play equipment