VIADUCT PLACE NURSERY

by Brandon Clark

This semester’s brief asked students to develop a space for children in a city designed entirely for adults. Students undertook immersive research of particular educational pedagogies, including on-site observation of local nurseries, attempting to understand the world from the perspective of a five-year-old. The Viaduct Place Nursery was designed according to Montessori teaching guidelines, which lay out specific material and spatial requirements for the classroom. Providing a local space for growth and learning, the design showcases natural materials: using exposed timber glulam for the structural and using recycled cork for flooring, furniture, and detailing. The teaching areas are integrated with a central interior garden planted with deciduous trees. Their seasonal changes contribute to a contextual learning programme and connect the space with the large park adjacent to the site. The building is read as a single volume subdivided by a stacked series of platforms which enable a continuous and flexible layout.