The new owners of an existing 5,000 sf Montessori education-based daycare and preschool commissioned Aro Eberle to meet two design challenges. First, to program and design an addition that would effectively double the number of families served, and second, to remodel the existing building to meet and exceed higher standards for child care. The existing residential-style building was altered to create a more unified aesthetic for the expanded facility. A higher standard of at least 50sf/child was used to form the basis of the new and remodeled classrooms. Ample daylight was a priority throughout planning and color was utilized as a playful tool to communicate wayfinding. Higher ceilings, acoustical flooring and ceiling finishes, a dedicated 1,600 sf indoor gross motor room, flexible enrichment space, a commercial kitchen, parent resource library, and expanded outdoor play areas all contribute to the primary goal of exceptional child care.
