Project Type:

Demolition of an existing building and design of a two-story building with 8,550 square feet of ground floor retail and a 10,000-square-foot second floor fit up for a child development tenant

Project Size:

18,550 square feet

Services Provided:

Architecture, Interior Design and Engineering Services consisting of Structural, Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing and Fire Protection

Project Description:

Full-Service Architectural and Engineering design of the demolition of a 4,500-SF building, as well as the new design of a two-story building with ground floor retail space and second story space for The Learning Experience, for use as a child development center. The building was built into a hillside allowing both the ground floor and the second floor of the building to have entrances at grade. Since the uses of the building are independent of one another, a vertical circulation connection was not designed. Jarmel Kizel has provided the prototypical design for over 100 centers for The Learning Experience throughout the United States. These are state-of-the-art centers focusing on child development from three months to five years of age. Jarmel Kizel has been providing On-Call A/E services for The Learning Experience since 2002. Although the centers are designed as a prototype, no two floor plans are alike. Each state has licensing requirements which control teacher/student ratios, and room size/student ratios. Each design is also modified according to the particular market where the center is located. The exterior building styles change depending upon local architectural requirements. The buildings are purposely designed in a residential style so that the children feel “at home” as well as the fact that most centers are located in residential areas. The Learning Experience utilizes the building itself as a learning tool for the children by labeling each and every item in the building such as, soap dispenser, telephone, light switch, door, etc. This project has literally been a Learning Experience. The construction process is managed in-house and is quite challenging not only because of the geographic locations of the centers but also because each center typically is built by a different developer.