US studio SHED Architecture and Design has converted a former information centre into a colourful children's play space for a preschool at Seattle's Pike Place Market.
The project – which SHED did on a pro-bono basis – was created for the Pike Market Child Care and Preschool, which was established in the 1980s to provide accessible care and education to families regardless of income.
The school is primarily located in the Down Under section of the Fairley Building, one of many structures that make up the historic public market, which first opened in 1907.
In 2012, the school expanded into another building called the Market Heritage Center, which previously served as an information centre. It consists of a simple, metal-framed building and an outdoor courtyard.
After many years of fundraising, the school enlisted SHED to design a renovation for the Center.
"The goal of the renovation was to create a dynamic and versatile space that would encourage infants and preschoolers to invent, discover and build social, cognitive and physical skills in a more open and spacious setting," the studio said.
Among the requirements were that the 1,613-square-foot (150-square-metre) facility be safe, accessible and able to withstand constant use.
The studio set out to create a light-filled space with pops of colour that mimic the hues of Pike Place Market, especially its iconic red sign.
One of SHED's main moves was to remove a portion of a heavy steel-coiling door and replace it with glazing. This enabled natural light to flow into the small building.
The studio also added window boxes, which bring in more daylight while serving as fun nooks for kids.
In the courtyard, the team removed steps, a deck and a planter. Outdoor turf was laid down, and a small climbing wall was installed.
Alongside the courtyard, the team replaced a steel fence with a living wall, which separates the open-air play space from a new concrete planter and, beyond it, a sidewalk.
The project also entailed updating a bathroom and creating a "wet zone" for arts, crafts and cleaning up. A new storage area and drinking fountain were also among the additions, as was new LED lighting.
The project was particularly meaningful for SHED, as two of its founders, Thomas Schaer and Scot Carr, designed the original Market Heritage Center in 1998, as part of their joint master’s thesis project at university.
They then built the project alongside other SHED co-founders, Prentis Hale and Damon Smith.
Carr now helps lead the Seattle firm Public 47 Architects.
Other facilities for youngsters in the US include a nursery and preschool in the Boston area that features sculptural walls wrapped in vibrant wallpaper, and a Brooklyn daycare centre by BAAO that features curved apertures and a constellation of pendant lights.
The photography is by Dain Susman.
Project credits:
Architect: SHED Architecture & Design
Contractor: SSI
Landscape architect: Berger Partnership
Lighting designer: Luma Lighting Design