1st Place, Children and Parents’ Centre

Avanti Architects won this project in an open competition for a new Children and Parents’ Centre in Southwark. The Centre provides an innovative approach to providing 50 full day care spaces for babies and children up to the age of five years with training, workshop and crèche facilities for parents and members of the wider community.

The design incorporates a number of sustainability initiatives. Deep overhangs provide covered play areas and good solar control. Clerestory windows provide daylight penetration to the interior and are part of the natural ventilation strategy. Roofs facing south are installed with photovoltaic panels. Large retractable screens allow a direct relationship to outdoor space. An ecology garden has been incorporated into the scheme and interfaces with the wider landscape of Burgess Park.