1+2 Architecture acknowledges the Palawa people as the traditional custodians of lutruwita, the lands on which our company is located and where we conduct our business. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present. We are committed to honouring Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society.
Clarence Family Day Care
LOCATION + TRADITIONAL COUNTRY
The Palawa, Bellerive, Tasmania
CLIENT
Not applicable
STATUS
Built (2005)
AWARDS
2006 RAIA TAS - Award for Public Buildings
media
Architecture Australia (May 2006)
PHOTOGRAPHY
Clarence Family Day Care is a modest community project that balances a civic presence with a playful and welcoming architectural character, reflecting its role in supporting young children and their families.
Located in Bellerive, the project provides a new headquarters for a family day care program, which coordinates childcare services delivered in family homes. The building brings together administrative offices, meeting and training facilities, and a toy lending library, creating a workplace for staff alongside spaces for visiting families and children.
The brief called for a functional, expressive building that could meet the organisation's needs within a carefully managed public budget.
KEY COLLABORATORS
+ Builder:
+ Structural / Hydraulics Engineering:
+ Building Surveyor:
Place
Set within a suburban neighbourhood, the building occupies a constrained site accessed by a driveway rather than directly from the street. Its design was shaped by the need to respect neighbouring properties, particularly their access to sunlight and views towards the River Derwent and kunanyi / Mount Wellington.
Protecting these views informed the diagonal line of the main façade and, in turn, the building's distinctive triangular plan. The angled frontage also faces the main point of arrival, giving the facility a recognisable presence despite its position away from the street.
A simple, white building form, grounded at one end and cantilevered at the other, establishes a contemporary identity while remaining sensitive to its residential surroundings.
Process
Colour and form were central to creating an expressive architectural language that would connect with the building's young visitors. The façade draws inspiration from the coloured educational building blocks developed by Friedrich Froebel, with a palette of pinks and greys developed collaboratively by the architects, staff and two young children.
Internally, the triangular entrance area accommodates public functions, while the adjoining wings provide more private staff offices. This arrangement allows the public spaces to receive sunlight, while the offices take advantage of views towards the Derwent and Mount Wellington.
Although the building is primarily a workplace, children also visit with their parents or carers. A small play area near the entrance incorporates a child-sized interpretation of the colourful façade, with a low window allowing children to be seen from outside. These considered details make the building engaging for its youngest users without compromising its practical requirements.
“…Despite budget constraints this creative, workable building was completed on time and within budget and exceeded the expectation of all concerned. (…)
1+2 Architecture work in a highly professional manner, their work was exceptionally thorough, with ongoing documentation accurate and prompt.”
Judy Kile — Clarence Family Daycare Program Administrator
Impact
Clarence Family Day Care demonstrates how thoughtful design can deliver a functional and distinctive community building within a realistic public budget.
Its success lies in the careful consideration of different needs, from neighbouring residents and staff to visiting families and children. The result is a building that responds sensitively to its setting while giving a relatively small public facility a strong architectural identity.
Awards + Jury Citation
RAIA Tasmania – Award for Public Buildings 2006
"When measured against all the judging criteria, this building exemplifies a comprehensive thoughtfulness. The jury marvelled at how the architects respect for others underpinned all design decisions."
