EAST COAST PALMETTO CENTER

This is a rigorous renovation of an existing building of about 7,000SF that was a school for at-risk kids built in downtown Palmetto (such as it is) about 15 years ago. I basically gutted the entire building and reconfigured it. But I was careful to reuse as much of the electrical and mechanical infrastructure as I could. These are traditionally expensive components of new construction so it was important to minimize these changes. Thanks to Dan Wadsworth and his team for reminding me of this every chance they got. My goal was to make a place that had a clear, obvious, transparent (yet,secure) circulation scheme and to take the opportunity to "open up" the fascinating process of taking care of migrant farmworker kids from the ages of 6 weeks to 5 years old. Yes, you can see the amazing, mostly unnoticed,usually, work the kitchen staff do in a typical center.(It's about time) To do this, I made a new "spine" from the entry to the back of the building and made all the rooms accessible through aluminum and glass storefront planes. It wasn't easy to do, especially at $70/SF. (eat me, you "Ted Factor" advocates). Wait till you see it with kids and staff. 

Maybe the best quality of this building is that is in the heart of where the families live and work, mostly in the packing houses that make up most of Palmetto. Most will walk or have a short ride and can you just imagine (well, I can anyway) how special this place will be for them. 

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EAST COAST WAUCHULA

This addition to an existing East Coast building, a small free standing building, now has kids and is being used just as Mike and I envisioned. A large room divided with a movable partition so that one side can have 8 toddlers and the other side for meetings and staff use. And a much needed storage room. The teachers love the space, full of light and interesting shapes. And you know what they like the best? The large open porch that the kids use all the time. This extension of the traditional licensed space is something I do in all my work and it is so good to see it in action. It's so obvious a logical response to our climate and the needs of the users, why don't I see it everywhere? And if you think it was easy figuring out and building the double sloped porches, think again. I'm a professional, do NOT try this at home.