Briar Hill Nursery

NCC wanted an inspirational and playful building for 52 nursery children on a deprived estate.

The concept centred on a set of brightly coloured children’s building blocks set within a restricted site. The main play space was the primary cubic form with the secondary volumes scattered around the orthogonal cube between the existing buildings and mature trees.

Materials provide a delightful, robust, tactile, yet maintenance free shell – copper shingles in green, brown and bright copper. Coloured sun pipes in the covered play area suggest the planets, allowing children to lie on the floor and watch the progress of clouds, rain and sun.

Awards:
East Midlands RIBA award
Civic Trust Commendation