9:05am | Turning onto Linden Avenue north of Wardlow Road, past the Bixby Knolls Car Wash, you might pass right by one of the best new buildings in Long Beach due to its understated confidence. Set back from the street behind a small parking lot, the two-story structure is playfully camouflaged by a living wall of plants covering half its façade. You also might not realize the building’s function until you notice a second, child-scale door in the entry vestibule—or perhaps the subtly-sized, weathered metal sign marking this as the home of Little Owl Preschool.
Having the opportunity to tour Little Owl with the architect (Meg Beatrice LEED AP, AIA) and the Executive Director (Linda Wilson) it was obvious the pride they have in the organization as well as the structure itself. Janet and Laurence Watt, the founders and benefactors of the preschool, wanted to start from a clean slate and craft the very best learning environment possible. They engaged professionals in early education to develop a learning program based on the Reggio Emilia philosophy of teachers and parents partnering with children in their exploration of the world.
Janet and Laurence engaged Meg Beatrice with Architecture M, a local architecture firm with a deep background in institutional and educational design, to craft a building that is as much a laboratory for learning as a nursery that comforts children during nap time. Little Owl’s location between a half-dozen neighborhoods and adjacency to two primary commercial corridors provides easy accessibility while cushioning the noise from those thoroughfares. The site’s small size and long, narrow proportions were used to inspire design innovations that provide much of the building‘s character.
The limited property area necessitated a two-level structure, with classrooms on the ground floor and administrative offices above. As a result, the primary learning area appears to be set in a park, visible from windows in every direction. The large, open space is divided in two pods by a central circulation spine meant as an assembly area. Movable walls allow for varying degrees of permeability between the two sides. Open stairwells on each end of the building facilitate seamless connection between the two levels. Indeed, the administrative offices on the second floor are also conducive to socialization; as on the ground floor, a central hub promotes interaction. Opening directly to this hub, a large rooftop terrace allows staff to work outside, a welcome feature for a building in Southern California.
To take further advantage of our temperate climate, the Little Owl Preschool is designed to harvest sunlight, relying very little on artificial lighting. Sloped walls on the north side of the building are not only aesthetically interesting, but serve a pragmatic purpose by reflecting light from the second level down through shafts in the floor. Sunlight entering large windows on the north and south sides of the building are controlled and enhanced by a combination of awnings and light shelves, blurring the line between indoors and outdoors.
The building was also designed for passive heating and cooling. Open stairs and high ceilings on the second floor allow heat to naturally rise through the building, while operable windows on all sides and at varying heights provide the ability to passively regulate the building’s temperature throughout the day. Living walls on the east and west sides of the preschool, as well as a green-roof system on the second-floor terrace, insulate those portions of the building most exposed to the sun’s heat.
Through all of these features, Architecture M was able to embrace the green-building philosophy without overwhelming the construction budget. The project demonstrates that environmentally innovative design does not require complex temperature-control systems or lighting, but instead just smart design from the beginning. The building qualifies for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification, a rating system by the United Stated Green Building Council, but the organization chose to instead to spend the registration fees on the mature fruit trees planted throughout the property.
These trees, and an accompanying vegetable garden, are just one aspect of how the preschool’s educational environment expands outdoors. The building’s footprint is designed to define a series of outdoor spaces, each with their own function and character. The south yard functions as an open-air studio, while an outdoor classroom on the west side of the building is created where the stair tower and main building meet. The main playground occupies the east side of the property.
The 5,000-square-foot outdoor learning area is organized around a child-size hill (right) that serves as a slide, climbing wall, bike path, amphitheater, and sandbox. Around the hill are opportunities for learning and exploration, including the vegetable garden, sound garden, playhouse, and eventually a chicken coop.
The diversity of outdoor activities allow children to play individually or in groups of varying sizes.
When experiencing the Little Owl Preschool campus, it becomes evident that the school’s organization and design team took the Reggio Emilia approach to teaching to heart. The building’s design brilliantly embraces connection to nature for children and teachers to promote exploration of the world together.