Converting a giant warehouse into a functional play space.

The team at Guardian Early Learning Centre in Braybrook in conjuncture with Jeckra reached out to us looking to bring their outdoor playspace to life. The project was interesting as the site was part of a development that was converting an old Masters (the short-lived rival to Bunnings) into a multi-age early learning centre. 

We had two huge spaces to complete, and at the same time, plenty of other trades to work in with and coordinate. Throw in the curveball of COVID-19, and this made for one of our most challenging, yet satisfying projects to date. 

Key Features

The project was split across two separate play spaces for different age groups. Working with a conceptual design we incorporated play areas that provide the children with a challenge every day while keeping them safe. To ensure their safety, the play space is fitted out with vast areas of synthetic grass and rubber. 

We also built several custom climbing structures throughout either space, raised kitchen garden planters and custom water-play elements. To ensure a natural feeling throughout, we incorporated a number of live plants throughout either space. We also used authentic second-hand redbrick paving, which we laid throughout the main yard. These redbricks were also used as part of the surface treatment for the foyer. Importantly, we made sure either space was low-maintenance to keep ongoing costs down. 

Key Solutions.

Access to the site itself on this project was a significant challenge. As you can imagine, working within the confines of a pre-existing factory didn’t give us a great deal of access. To overcome this, we liaised with the project builder and opened up a segment of the wall. An option like this never sounds great on paper, but in reflection, it saved everyone involved in the project a great deal of time and money. We also hired a telehandler to coordinate the extensive amount of imported materials the project required. And the wall? You wouldn’t even know it was gone. 

Relationships throughout this project were really important as we often had to contend with many other trades, incoming suppliers and supervisors. Our focus on building great relationships proved to be fruitful when COVID-19 hit halfway through the project. Site restrictions and closures threw another curveball at us, but we leveraged our relationships to make sure we delivered our part of the project on budget and on time. 

Project Outcomes