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Stepping inside the Little Seeds Early Learning Centre in Caringbah, south of Sydney, feels like being enveloped in a warm hug! There’s something instantly calming about its combination of curved walls, round windows and cool tones that act as a tempting dancefloor for the sun’s rays. The architect who brought together these interior design elements is ArtMade Architects Director Sherif Saad – a 25-year veteran of designing early learning centres, childcare centres and kindergartens.
At Little Seeds Early Learning Centre, Sherif’s delivered a masterclass in bringing contemporary design to a 350m² interior for children aged up to five years, their caregivers and educators. Engaged to deliver the fit-out’s construction certificate, construction drawings and interior design, Sherif welcomed the client’s brief to conceive a design that felt “welcoming, relaxing and unique”. He turned to curves to unlock that elusive combination.
“Early learning centres present very specific design challenges,” Sherif explains. “The design must cater to infants and, of course, toddlers and older children who will interact with the space in different ways. We also have to factor in operational considerations for the educators, as well as the caregivers who frequent the space.
“Using curvature throughout enabled us to unify the design across a myriad of spaces,” Sherif says. From the large, curved feature wall through to small, curved nooks and crannies for little hands to explore at ground level, every detail of this design blends beautifully to deliver a cohesive interior.
Of course, low-maintenance, highly durable materials were also integrated to assist with ongoing upkeep. Think laminated timber, vinyl flooring in playrooms and wall tiles in wet areas.
Returning to the topic of curves, Sherif says we have the early Romans and Greeks to thank for their influence on modern architecture. “Curves have always been in vogue but the appetite for this type of geometry has certainly increased thanks to the evolution of laser-cut technology to deliver them with more precision.”
Big praise from Little Seeds
Moatez Ramadan, from Alexandria Building Group (ABG Constructions), is the builder behind Little Seeds. Meanwhile, his wife heads up the operational side of the business. Both have been delighted with ArtMade’s interior design. “The response to this design has been phenomenal,” Moatez says. “Before we opened, we literally had hundreds of children on the waitlist!
“Our feedback from parents has been extremely positive, they love how contemporary and elevated the design feels,” Moatez says. “ArtMade helped us create a really impressive interior that feels distinctive.”
When asked about the experience of working with ArtMade, Moatez describes the builder-designer relationship as being akin to family! “Sherif and his team were amazing,” he says. “They were very responsive and surpassed our highest hopes for this design.”
