El centro de la raza ROOSEVELT EARLY LEARNING CENTER

education design — early learning — COMMUNITY

Seattle, Washington

CAST architecture recently completed a 6,470 SF four-classroom early learning center (ELC), on the ground floor of Cedar Crossing, a new mixed-use building next to the Roosevelt Link Light Rail station. The center is intended to complement the array of resident services that serve the building’s affordable housing units. An essential part of CAST’s role has been to balance the requirements and layout of El Centro’s space with the evolving design of the larger project.

The design provides El Centro with four large, well-proportioned classrooms filled with daylight, organized around a central spine that connects a secure entry vestibule at the north sidewalk to the elevated outdoor play area on the opposite side of the building. Two interior gathering spaces provide extra elbow room and an opportunity to include culturally-appropriate identity elements at classroom entries. The architecture creates a clean, muted backdrop to help organize the huge variety of educational materials and children’s projects in a rainbow of colors, shapes, and textures. Administrative spaces are designed to minimize staffing needs by allowing staff to easily monitor public spaces. The design also includes a full commercial kitchen.

A unique aspect of CAST’s involvement was to be a part of the larger team early in the feasibility stage of the project. We have played a crucial role in shaping the evolving design of the overall building to ensure that the space would be viable as an ELC, from big picture design elements like the location of the play yard and the relationship of the main entrance to the sidewalk and courtyard; to detailed technical aspects, such as maintaining at-grade egress from toddler classrooms and ensuring that the five floors of apartments above wouldn't impinge on the necessary duct and exhaust shafts that allow us to include a full commercial kitchen. During the construction administration process CAST coordinated the myriad of building systems so they function well and work with the architectural design.

Green Design: Evergreen Sustainable Design Standard (ESDS), Heat pump HVAC and heat-recovery ventilation, daylighting/daylighting controls, hygienic Marmoleum (indoor air quality is improved by real/natural linoleum flooring — not plastic), located next to major transit hub

See the Daily Journal of Commerce’s Special Section on Education featuring this early learning center: Feasibility and Design in Early Learning Education