Botanical Traditions - Monash Caulfield Early Child Care Centre

Through Our involment in the Melbourne Water Raingardens project we became concerned with the state of many playspaces. For a country that has traditionally prided itself on its out doors lifestyle, as well as having a diverse and breathtaking native vegetation, our current younger generations are repeated provided with dull gentrified playspaces. Instead of having trees to explore, rolling on turf and discovering the wonders of nature children are more likely to play on synthetic surfaces, indoors and in standardised spaces.

Botanical Traditions believe that outdoor play spaces have great importance and a large role in children’s development. The outdoor environment and the programs that are planned in them, provide unique opportunities to build and extend children's skills and concepts as well as fostering a sense of excitement about learning and attending school.

In addition to physical development, outdoor play supports social development enhancing self-esteem and confidence in their own abilities. This proposed design offers both sensory and intellectual discovery where children can learn by ‘doing’.

The parents and teachers at this centre wanted to create something special and more natural for the students. Although there were a number of limitations including a heritage building, low light levels and access difficulty Botanical Traditions worked closely with the parents and teachers to development a schematic plan that the kindergarten could use for funding purposes. After the required amount of funding was secured we develop a concept plan which is shown below.

The design for Monash Early Learning centre aimed to create a dynamic play providing multiple play and learning opportunities. The space is designed to encouraged children to create their own play and to expand their experiences. Each space is filled with objects that can be incorporated into play in different ways, stimulating the imagination and promoting the children's ability to conjure up ideas from within themselves. The playspace area contained indigenous plants, wet play area, large sandpit, vegetable growing area and Rainwater harvesting system. The garden areas form the stage on which different activities can take place.

Construction followed the design phase.

You can see more on this project at the following link:

Monash University Link

Concept Sketches and Plans