ROUSE HILL
Project Type
Childcare Centre
Client
Private Operator
This sprawling Play space offers endless opportunities for learning and play in a Centre that sets the standard for Early Learning.
We separated the extensive garden areas into a series of outdoor spaces, each offering a unique and varied play experience. This is truly a space to explore as the interconnected landscape opens up to reveal areas that cater for a variety of experiences, age groups and levels of perceived risk.
Make noise in the sensory sound garden, bounce high on the trampoline, test your building skills with loose parts, meander through the bamboo forest, harvest the productive gardens or explore nature on the elevated tree top board walk.
From a challenging multi level play structure, large inflatable jumping pillow, a huge sand pit, fish pond, extensive water play, huge productive garden, regenerative habitat gardens with tree top board walk, gross motor elements, loose parts play, bike path, petting zoo, windmill, reading circle, fire pit, musical sensory panels and an Covered Outdoor Learning Area with kitchenette, this Centre sets the bar for excellence Outdoor Play.
Sustainability was key to the design of this project. One side of the play space has been set out in a way that teaches energy cycling through hands on learning.
A carefully constructed boardwalk floats above an established habitat protection zone. It takes Children on a journey up into the tree canopy with viewing platforms and quiet gathering spaces to observe nature. Mesh decking and open mesh sides provide a sense of height and additional viewing opportunities into the tree tops and forest floor below.
There is a large reading circle surrounding an open fire pit. This is a space to share stories and experience fire. The leftover ash is then used in the adjoining composting bays and worm farms.
A native bee hive sits above a beneficial insect garden adjoining the productive garden area. This is an opportunity for observation and insect interaction, while learning about bees, bugs and pollination.
The productive gardens are watered by rainwater harvested onsite and designed on a scale large enough to provide significant fresh produce to the centres kitchen. The vegetable scraps are fed to the egg producing chickens, then the egg shells and chicken manure are then added back into the compost to provide nutrients and worms. This is then placed back into the garden and the cycle starts again.
