Penn State Child Care Center at Hort Woods
Penn State's first LEED Platinum certified building integrates biophilic design, environmental stewardship, and early childhood education to create a living laboratory for learning.Penn State University’s 21,500 SF Child Care Center at Hort Woods is a LEED Platinum-certified early learning center designed through a highly collaborative, integrated process. Situated at the edge of historic Hort Woods, the center demonstrates explicit connections between design, education, biophilia, and the environment while serving the children and families of the Penn State community. It also acts as an instructional resource for the University’s Department of Education and other departments involved in child development.
Client
Pennsylvania State University
Location
University Park, Pennsylvania
Services
Architecture, New Construction, Interior Design, Site Design, Landscape Architecture, and LEED
Size
21,150 sq ft (Interior)
15,000 sq ft (Exterior)
Certifications
LEED Platinum Certified
Connecting Children with NatureThe center was designed around a biophilia-infused, child-centered curriculum, with the building carefully integrated into the woodland edge. Its placement creates a variety of outdoor spaces defined by differences in form, climate, materials, plantings, and opportunities for activity, while also establishing a new campus entry.
Three distinct nature-based outdoor learning spaces reinforce the building’s sustainable themes. Together, the indoor and outdoor environments create tangible connections between sustainable design, curriculum, and children’s everyday experiences.
“Our spaces are designed specifically for children. Everyone is really surprised at the beauty and aesthetic of the space.”
Misty Woods, Program Specialist at Hort Woods
Spaces for Learning and ExplorationThe two-story brick, copper, and painted aluminum building includes 10 classrooms. Five classrooms for infants and toddlers are located on the first floor alongside the “imaginarium,” an atelier, a library, and outdoor patios. Five preschool classrooms, family gathering areas, and an additional library space occupy the second floor.
The building and landscape work together to provide opportunities for exploration and play, with natural materials, varied outdoor environments, and transitional spaces that encourage greater engagement with the outdoors.
Sustainability as a Teaching ToolSustainable features throughout the center are designed to become part of the curriculum. The natural ventilation system, for example, allows children and teachers to participate in opening classroom spaces for passive cooling, with moving “whirligigs” providing a visible indication that the system is working.
Other strategies include reusable and sustainable materials such as reclaimed brick, bamboo, and cork; a 6,000-gallon rainwater collection system; rain chains and barrels that allow children to use collected water for plants and play; and daylighting paired with copper light shelves to reduce reliance on artificial lighting. These features provide opportunities for children to directly experience and participate in the building’s approach to environmental stewardship.
