SolBe 

SolBe Nursery School is founded on a deep commitment to inspire children to be curious about the world around them. Echoing this ethos, the Solbe Nursery Yard offers diverse spatial and sensory experience for new bodies to explore. Built around a multi-material palette of hard and soft surfaces, the landscape is an arena of engaged sensory interaction geared to infants and young toddlers. 

A mosaic path weaves through a mini forest of soft sea oats and blueberries. Sweet Bay Magnolias anchor beds of seasonal flowers in yellows, blues and orange that surround a materials playground of sand, stone and water. 

The yard is designed to feature and display sensory elements. Highlighting the magic of change, the terrazzo and stone ground shifts color dramatically when wet becoming a playful canvas at the rock water feature. 

A trike path loops around an open play yard of soft mounds. Plant beds punctuate the edges offering secret spaces for exploration. The central hill slide and natural wood play elements of laying logs, steppers and tree trunk tunnel invite physical challenge and safe risk taking. Edged by a stacked wood outdoor classroom, the Solbe play yard embraces the Reggio Emilia approach of the "environment as the third teacher" actively encouraging and provoking children's exploration, creativity, and collaboration.
 

Location: Chestnut Hill, MA 

Project Type: Childcare

Project Design: lu — la

Site Photos:  Haley Dando