In the design and development phase of the project, FROEBEL Australia made clear that its intention was to redefine and reimagine what inner-city early childhood education and care (ECEC) in a vertical setting could be, and to prove that just because the service is spread over different floors it did not necessarily need to look and feel corporate and institutional.
“We have pushed the boundaries from a design perspective by not only considering the children’s learning experience but our educators’ well-being too,” shared Olde Lorenzen, FROEBEL Australia Managing Director.
“The environments actively tackle the stressors most common in an ECEC setting. They differentiate between active play zones and areas for quiet retreat, creating diverse opportunities for children and educators to engage, providing places for democratic debate, and stimulating children’s agency and self through mindful design for education.”
The Architizer A+Awards are the world’s largest awards program for architecture and building-products, celebrated by a global audience of 400+ million. The program’s mission is to nurture the appreciation of meaningful architecture around the world and champion its potential for a positive impact on everyday life.
The 2022 A+Awards received over 5,000 entries from 100+ countries. Reputable awards judges nominate five finalists within each award category. These finalists are then presented online where design practitioners and enthusiasts from around the globe vote for their favourites. A Jury-selected Winner and a Popular Choice Winner were awarded in each of the categories, with over 400,000 votes cast by the voting public.
FROEBEL Australia also received a Commendation in the highly contested Public Design category of the 2022 Australian Interior Design Awards.
The Australian Interior Design Awards recognise and celebrate interior design excellence via a credible, industry-based program, which is backed by the Design Institute of Australia, the professional body representing Australian designers. Founded in 2004, the program is a partnership event of the Design Institute of Australia and Artichoke Magazine.
The judging process is anonymous, transparent and confidential. It is based on peer review and conforms to international standards. Jurors are eminent designers working with a convenor appointed by the Design Institute of Australia.
To view photographs of the FROEBEL Carlton Early Learning Centre or to learn more about the space, please see here.
Photography: Shannon McGrath
