Image: Urban Library Park - Learning Space Finalist
Spaces for Children & Families - Design expertise & Consultation
We can provide you specialist design expertise and consultation for spaces that are both dedicated and non-dedicated spaces for children.
Founding Director, Jo Aitken, has worked on the design and delivery of new kindergarten / nursery, primary school, middle school, high school & university projects around the world as well as numerous family homes with young children. She has also worked on a number of cultural projects such as libraries, art galleries and exhibitions that have had large children focused components.
Our current research is focused on looking at ways in which non-dedicated spaces that are frequented by children and families, such as hotels, cafes, restaurants and public spaces can be created or modified to better cater for children. This approach can improve the experience not only for children and their families but also for all other patrons too.
Designing spaces that are great for children and their families creates spaces that are great for everyone. Happy kids creates happy parents and happy patrons without children!
Designing for children doesn’t need to be done in a ‘child-like’ manner but instead can be done in a way that seamlessly aligns with the brand and desired design concept for the space.
Image: Junior education campus in Paris, carried out with MDS Studio.
‘NEST’
We are currently working on a new book focused on the design of spaces and homes for families with young children. Watch this space.
Image: Jo worked as the Lead Project Architect on this 40,000sqm campus, with Rosan Bosch Studio.
The Importance of play
Atelier Aitken has spent a lot of time carrying out research and design explorations on how to create learning spaces that were playful and encouraged children to be active. Two of their research projects, Playscape for learning and Urban Library Park, were finalists at the SXSW Future of Learning Space Awards held in Austin, TX.
Play based educational campus design in Copenhagen
After carrying out this research, Jo relocated her base from Auckland to Copenhagen where she worked with specialist education and learning space experts, Rosan Bosch Studio, leading their largest international campus featuring over 40,000sqm of flourishing landscape for sensory learning.