The design of this Early Childhood Education Center in Wilmington, NC transformed a medical office building into a welcoming, safe, State-of-the-Art facility. The organization, Spark Academy, provides enriching spaces serving mixed-income families for children 6 weeks through Pre-Kindergarten. To reflect the organization’s values, the site design purposefully engages the community with a welcoming entry and walking paths incorporating strategies for Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED).

Additional design components include safe, inspiring indoor and outdoor play areas, flexible classrooms that foster developmental learning, and a health clinic, kitchen, and meeting space that foster family health and well-being. The child-friendly design utilizes organic forms with a touch of whimsy, natural materials, and hands-on connections to nature with Natural Play as a central focus for the exterior environments