98 | COMMUNITY Village Green Early Learning Centre - Good Space: 505 Construction T T Karen Phelps New centre exceeding expectations Situated on the College Rifles Rugby Football Club grounds, the centre was conceived as a place where nature, education and wellbeing converge. “The children settle in faster and the relationships between teacher and child develop naturally and authentically in an unrushed, peaceful and happy environment. “ A year on from opening its doors, Village Green Early Learning Centre in Remuera, Tāmaki Makaurau, is already outpacing its own ambitions and its founder Jade Hurst says the hunger for something different in early childhood education has been palpable from the start. “It’s really exceeded expectations in terms of how quickly the centre has filled up,” she says Jade. “The concept has really struck a chord with families.” The centre, situated on the College Rifles Rugby Football Club grounds, was conceived by Jade and husband Ben as a place where nature, education and wellbeing converge. The design blends biophilic principles, Te Ao Māori values, and a Reggio-inspired philosophy. It has capacity for 150 children across six rooms, two for each age group from babies through to preschoolers. Jade says Village Green is the physical realisation of years of thinking about what early learning environments could and should be. Jade, who runs her wellness architecture studio Good_Space, developed the project after exploring circular economy principles at XLabs, a circular economy summit, in 2020. Every decision at Village Green, from the materials used in construction to the way rooms are arranged, was guided by seven wellness principles: air, water, light, nature, sound, mind, and circular design. The results are visible throughout the centre. Around 45 per cent of its annual energy comes from solar panels installed across the building’s 1000sqm roof. Rainwater is captured for use across building systems and water play. Reclaimed timber wrapping the building façade contains over 17,000 kilograms of embodied carbon, while benchtops and lockers crafted from recycled soft plastic panels have diverted more than 1,250 kilograms of packaging from landfill. Inside, children learn across three named environments: Flax Nest for infants, Kōwhai Corner and Rātā Retreat for toddlers, and Kauri Canopy for preschoolers. Natural textures, non-toxic paints, circadian lighting in sleep rooms and air-purifying plants throughout are designed to calm the senses as much as to stimulate them. ne of the centre’s most tangible expressions of its philosophy is the grow garden, where children tend seasonal produce that is then harvested and served to them in the kitchen. It is the kind of closed loop that Jade designed the entire centre around with children not merely learning about nature but actively participating in it. “Giving kids time outside lowers their stress levels, so there are real behavioural benefits,” says Jade. “It has real positive outcomes for the team also.” Acting centre manager Giorgia Tai says the kaiako and wider staffing team are definitely feeling the positive impact of the space on their days as they acknowledge the environment as the third teacher. “The children settle in faster and the relationships between teacher and child develop naturally and authentically in an unrushed, peaceful and happy environment. “The team knows that their well-being is a priority resulting in a happy group of teachers who enjoy each other’s company and the beautiful centre where they work.” That sense of community extends beyond the centre’s enrolled families. Located on the rugby club site, Village Green has kept its playground open for the wider community to use during games. Every decision at Village Green, from the materials used in construction to the way rooms are arranged, was guided by seven wellness principles: air, water, light, nature, sound, mind, and circular design. “That reflects our community spirit and that we are a village,” says Jade. For Jade the past year has offered something most design projects never do: the chance to see her work truly lived in. “It’s been really rewarding to see this project in action, as normally as a designer I do a project then hand it over to the client.” The success of the Remuera site has naturally prompted questions about what comes next. A second Village Green is something Jade is open to, though she acknowledges it would not be straightforward. “While it is difficult to find locations with sufficient space for another Village Green, we would be excited to offer this concept to more communities.”
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