Parkdale Family and Children’s Centre

Kingston City Council had identified a need for infrastructure in the central part of the municipality to accommodate space for the provision of children ‘s services. Co-locating this facility on a DEECD school site was seen as ideal considering the educational context and the greater community benefit it afforded.

The key vision for the centre was for a building that:

•Nurtures the development of a child ‘s life skills and education
•Supports a sense of connectedness and pride in the local community
•Ensures the security of young children
•Offers flexibility with internal design so that the building has capacity to change adapt to changing needs.
•Provides for best practice training for staff
•Incorporates a generous provision of quality landscaping including numerous shade trees and interesting and challenging spaces to encourage creative outdoor play and learning
•Demonstrates environmentally sustainable design and be designed to minimise ongoing running and maintenance costs.

Internally, a healthy and inspiring environment was considered paramount but was challenging to achieve given the constrained site. Deep floor plans were necessary however the design solution provided excellent natural light and ventilation. This was achieved through;

•An effective crossflow ventilation system drawings fresh air from low level in the children ‘s rooms and exhausted at high level on the opposite side of the building.
•Clerestory windows facing south to limit solar gain but provide excellent daylighting.
•Large centrally located roof windows facing south provide natural light deep into the floor plan.
•A night purging system providing well ventilated spaces to support children and staff concentration and wellbeing.

In addition to the variety of spaces provided internally there are multiple outdoor learning and recreation spaces, further enhancing the functionality and flexibility of the education program. The outdoor spaces include;

•Two large outdoor play spaces orientated north for maximum natural daylight and sunlight exposure.
•The play spaces offer sensory and age appropriate play area for children namely a digging patch, stepping stones, sandpit, two-level stage decks, cubby house, generous lawn areas and water play creek all generously protected with shade sails and a chook enclosure.
•Play environments that encourage children to engage with the natural world.