Keene State College Child Development Center Playscape

Our Landscape Department began the design process for creating the 12,000 SF outdoor play environment for Keene State College’s Child Development Center by inviting all stakeholders to an interactive visioning workshop led by our Landscape Studio and Robin Moore of North Carolina State University’s Natural Learning Initiative. In addition to the center director and teaching staff, the stakeholder group included college faculty, campus administration, community leaders, parents, and the campus Grounds and Facilities group. Our visioning workshop developed a shared vision and goals for the children’s space and engaged all stakeholders in deeper understanding and inspired commitment to providing a space that supported young children’s learning and development through play in a natural environment.

At the beginning of construction, the center lost its funding for the project with no obvious source for its implementation. The campus Grounds group, lead by Bud Winsor, was an integral member of the stakeholder group, was so inspired by the mission of the project that they took on the construction themselves, and the project was proudly brought to full fruition. The space continues to provide a place to grow and discover for the children and the program continues to reflect cross-discipline collaboration across the campus and the spirit of community.

The design of the new outdoor environment provides learning and play opportunities by introducing natural landforms and materials: hills, climbing rocks, willow tunnels, sand, and sensory plant materials. The design also provides a setting for the Center’s Early Sprouts Gardening Project.

We understand the importance and power for developing a strong shared project vision through dialogue, communication and sharing ideas and passion.