Childcare transition environments: using scale models to investigate transition space

The recent increase in demand for child-care facilities has exceeded their supply. This lack of available child-care facilities means that the potential for new construction of child-care facilities will also increase. In order to provide for child-care centers that meet the needs of the users, a need for additional research on their physical design, seems appropriate.

The purpose of this study is to examine, describe and analyze the preferences and activities of parents and staff. This study focused on using a scale model to determine the needs of the primary users in a child care lobby. Two different lobby designs were compared. The adult participants were asked to design an optimal lobby for both the morning arrival transition and the evening departure transition periods. The parents and staff members had different concerns, and needs in a lobby, however, differences were noted between the morning and afternoon transition periods.

Findings were organized into the following categories: a) physical design attributes, b) challenges to traditional lobby design, c) security issues, d) similarities and differences between arrival and departure designs, e) center replication, f) square footage requirements, g) evaluation of existing lobby. The presence of a telephone and access to an adult restroom were mentioned by the parents as needs that were not being currently met. Several staff members noted that the center's physical design should reflect it's purpose.