As demand for childcare spaces continues to grow, so does the importance of child-centered design. Our clients aimed to double their current childcare capacity by building an addition adjacent to their existing, single story building. To accommodate the project while keeping the existing preschool operational, Fold designed a new two-story addition, linked to the original structure by a covered breezeway. The design takes a playful, child-centered, and budget-conscious approach, using bold circular elements and bright colors to enliven an otherwise straightforward architectural style.
.avif)
.avif)
The building features a small yellow “house,” affectionately nicknamed the birdhouse, perched above the entry on the second-floor. Circular windows serve as playful portals, allowing children to peek out and watch for their parents’ arrival. Inside, the spacious second-floor play area for ages 3–5 is divided into two zones by an archway, intentionally designed to accommodate a future curtain or sliding wall.
The infant toddler classroom on the first floor is characterized by door, window, and openings of different shapes and colors.
.avif)
.jpg)
.avif)
.avif)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.avif)
Color is a defining design element, used both to establish the building’s identity as a preschool and to evoke a sense of energy and joy for students. The original design featured brightly colored window frames, and extending this language into the addition allows the building to be read as a unified whole. The yellow birdhouse provides a distinct marker, clearly highlighting the school’s secondary entrance.
Owner: Withheld
Architect: Fold Architects Inc
Interior Design: Fold Architects Inc / Client
Structural:Hoel Engineering
Construction: Motion Construction Ltd
Photography: James Jones Photography
