The Purpose-Built Creche

It may seem self-evident that a crèche should be built from scratch, rather than adapted from an existing premises - attempting to make do with the spaces, structures and limitations inherent in the default facilities. So it may surprise you to know that until 1995 there were zero purpose-built crèches in Ireland. None. That year Ireland's first crèche was built from the ground up for that purpose, and since then many more have followed suit.

Why is it important to build a crèche especially for the purpose? An excellent document produced by the Department of Health and Children called We Like This Place, Guidelines for Best Practice in the Design of Childcare Facilities, published in 2004, points out that - unlike most building projects - crèche design is about considering the children first, last and always:

What is critical is that the building and its environment are suitably designed in such detail as to enhance the child's growth and development. It is vital for the designer to have a clear understanding of the way the building will be used, what age groups are being catered for and the needs of the children on a practical level. Architectural statements are of little value if the children and their carers do not have a clear understanding of the environment created.

While it is possible to have such an intensely child-focused approach when adapting an existing building, it is much easier to a crèche design from the ground-up if you are actually building from the ground up.

This truly comprehensive document covers everything including planning permission, site selection, design layout, use of colour and creating a mood, fixtures and fittings, outdoor spaces, and much more, taking all the guess-work out of developing a top-quality, child-focused crèche.

In its chapter on Design the report delineates precisely what spaces are required, and gives advice about how each should be approached. It makes the point that every crèche should include the following:

EntranceReception AreaAccess for the DisabledParents' RoomManager's OfficeCirculation Areas (including corridors, indoors and out)Children's rooms (details below)Storage for Children's BelongingsSleep Areas (with detailed guidelines re space, ventilation, temperature, etc)Toilets (for children, staff and visitors, including nappy changing facilities)Staff RoomLaundry/Utility AreaKitchenOutdoor Play Area(s)

Clearly, this is not a project to be undertaken lightly. Every aspect of the project requires carefully planning, always keeping the needs of children at the forefront. To give some sense of the scope of thought that must go into each aspect of designing a crèche, let's take a look at some of the many issues to consider when designing children's play spaces.

On the one hand, the report notes, children need a wide range of kinds of spaces appropriate to different activities throughout the day. On the other hand, 'each child should be able to identify with one particular room which affords... a sense of belonging.'

Also, large open areas should be broken up into smaller spaces, providing room to interact in large and small groups, to run safely, to sit quietly or 'hide'... all the while being observable by staff. Some areas must be pristinely clean, while wet and 'messy' spaces are also necessary. Variety is the key, and both indoor and outdoor spaces should offer enough spatial variation to accommodate the wide range of activities that make up the child's day.

The look of the spaces is equally important, with care being taken to ensure variations in space, shape, height, texture and a balance of artificial and natural light and considerations of ventilation and fresh air. Colour is such an important consideration that an entire chapter is devoted to selecting colours for walls, ceilings, floors and decor.

It is far from easy to design a high-quality, child-focused crèche from scratch, but We Like This Place, available from http://www.dcya.gov.ie, is a great place to start.

This article was submitted by Simona Rusnakova, SEO consultant of Voodoo, on behalf of The Park Academy creches in Dublin who enhance children's joy, nourish their bodies and minds, cultivate their eagerness to learn and ensure their absolute safety.

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