Inspiring Design - an unbuilt project

H2A was tasked with envisioning a Children’s Museum that would excite donors, the community, parents, and children from the moment they arrived. A dense urban setting would be the context for this showpiece, in an area where other amenities were within walking distance. The Children’s Museum would be a place where children and families could learn, explore, play, and celebrate together. The entrance was designed to have a strong sense of arrival and anticipation, similar to how a child might feel “opening a present”. The theme of origami “transformation” played a role on the interior and exterior of the building. On the exterior, the origami theme presents different 2-D planes and color suggesting the movement of the skin layer of the building. The wall folds up to reveal the glass entry underneath and becomes the covered / protected porch overhang. On the interior, flexible changing displays carry the transformation theme as well as a free open plan that could change over time. Unobstructed sight lines were also important for children and adults. The tower space was envisioned as a entry designation as well as a possible viewing or climbing opportunity where the interior vista would open up from a vantage point above. Natural lighting was also an important element with skylight and clerestory cut-away.

We still hope this exciting project will come to fruition!

The following photos are from our visits to the Glazer Children’s Museum in Tampa, FL and Nashville’s Adventure Science Center where local history and culture are combined with educational exhibits