The Child Development Center is both a place for children to learn and a training ground for future early childhood educators. The landscape extends that dual purpose outdoors, where varied terrain, natural materials, and open-ended play support movement, exploration, and observation. Logs, boulders, sand, turf mounds, boardwalks, and gardens offer different ways to climb, balance, race, dig, and cultivate, allowing the landscape itself to become part of the learning environment.
“We wanted the landscape to leave room for interpretation – a path can become a racetrack, a wall a balance beam, and the terrain itself a place for discovery.”
“For future educators, the same landscape offers a place to observe how children move, explore, and learn through play.”
“Repurposed logs, boulders, and stone give natural materials new roles as part of the play experience.”
Scope
Design through Completion
Tasks
Outdoor Learning Environments, Nature Play, Gross Motor Skills Loop, Gardens
Location
Portland, OR
Client
Portland Community College
Recognition
Certifications
Earth Advantage
Collaborators
Completed
2019
