ST JOSEPH'S NURSEY

St Josephs Nursey Unit, Greystone Road Antrim.This commercial design and build scheme went on to win its category in the 2006 Trade Association Awards.

Site Assessment
A recently renovated nursery unit in the heart of Antrim, St Josephs benefited from large open classrooms with lots of natural light.  The view however was not pretty.  A large retaining wall, divided an upper grassed level from a narrow playground area.  A single Escallonia hedge was the only reminder that this was to be used as a ' green space'.  The area looked cold and uninviting.

Client Brief
Nursery principal, Anne Maguire was clear of the children's needs, a sensory exploration of the great outdoors.  To include play equipment, teaching areas, walkways and planting all this in an area the size of the average garden. Also vital was the idea of child safety within the area.

Completed Scheme
As discussed in the plan, the aim was to create a routeway through the space.  This has been realised through the central pivotal point of a 'jungle gym play centre', surrounded by a series of interlinking 'events' from the amphitheatre - like story space, to the gingerbread cottage and on up to the minibridge, the layout encourages your movement through the space.  The fairy ring and woven willow tunnel add further points of interest, whilst the purpose of the planning is to be in an unobtrusive and naturalising style.  This is phase one of hopefully three phase in the development of St Joseph's, with the 'wild wood' (the rear of the nursery) next on the agenda.