Children’s Village at Doylestown Health

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

Firm

Design Resources Group

Client

Doylestown Health

Area

32,000 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$30,387,881

Completion Date

10/2023

Ines Leong/L-INES Photo

[close]

Design team
Hany Y. Salib, AIA, NCARB (President/CEO, Principal-in-Charge); Victor Rodriguez, RA, NCARB (Senior Associate, Director of Design); Phillip Cacossa, PE, LEED AP (Director of Construction Administration and Engineering)

The Children’s Village at Doylestown Health, a renowned early childhood education center, was recreated after it was destroyed by a tornado in August 2020. Inspired by its name, the facility comprises structures resembling homes within a village. Distinct paint colors and roof angles denote the different program areas and give the Children’s Village an interconnected and inviting appearance.

From the exterior, two front wings guide visitors to the lobby. Color-coded corridors extend into age-specific areas, including an art room, a teaching kitchen with a child-height oven, and a library with an interactive tree installation. This installation features a reading nook and a treehouse, which encourage storytelling and exploration. Classrooms have direct access to outdoor playgrounds via covered verandas for play even on rainy days. Expansive windows flood the interiors with natural light, providing broad sightlines in and out.

Thoughtful design blends resilience and childlike joy to create a beloved environment for early childhood education.