Feel + learn + heal - a children's development centre and clinic

Abstract

Although human beings continuously learn through their experiences and impressions, the most important years in determining all actions and decisions which will be made in life, are during childhood. In designing spaces for children, their perception of the built environment and interaction with their surroundings needs to be understood in terms of the influence that elements of architecture and the landscape have on their sensorial and motoric actions as well as social activities. FEEL + LEARN + HEAL, the subject of this dissertation, is a centre for childhood development and an ambulatory clinic, which will demonstrate how built environments enhance perceptual experience by means of sensory stimulation and healing environments. The study area is located on the urban edge, north east of Pretoria's Central Business District and forms a gateway into the city at a large intersection, where Boom, Soutpansberg, Dr. Savage and du Toit Street intersect.