Mother Duck, Lawnton, Brisbane

Brief
Use the concept of biophilic design to renovate and extend an existing childcare centre to provide innovative learning and inspiring play areas for 200 children aged under five.

Play-based learning in harmony with nature
We have been working with Australian early childcare client Mother Duck for several years, creating engaging spaces for learning and fun across its ten centres located in Brisbane. Using the principles of biophilic design – a well-established concept that connects with nature and provides numerous physical, mental, and social benefits – we created a child-centric environment with interactive nature zones. An example of the integration of biophilic design within the new centre is the ramp that wraps around the existing established trees, creating shade and allowing the children to explore the treetops.

The project included significant extensions and renovations to the existing childcare centre to create the new two-storey facility, providing studio-style learning areas, outdoor play areas, and an undercroft car park. The Context team was engaged from project inception through to developmental approval and undertook a QA role, attending regular site and project team meetings to ensure the concept remained front of mind throughout the design-build.