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John Smith Children’s Centre
Alex Freemantle as Principal Architect, London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Client Children’s Services London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Contract Value £1,000,000
Completion 1995
Day nursery and community building in Stepney , East London. The scheme provided day nursery spaces for 25 children and community space for drop in play sessions.
This scheme used glulam portal frames to create the large spaces for the play areas. The height of the pitched cross section was used to create “tree house” play decks. All children’s internal play spaces opened directly to the external play space under a large glazed canopy that runs the length of the building. The external play area was divided into two areas for the day nursery and drop in children with a curving timber fence for ease of supervision.
The building was opened by Elizabeth Smith, and John Prescott, following the death of John Smith.
