Jolly Early Education

Interior Building

In what was once a two-story, 15,000 SF  retail space, Jolly Early Education is now a contemporary, 19-classroom daycare situated in the Clinton Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn. 

In addition to the 19 classrooms, the center contains a gym, therapy rooms, a teachers’ lounge, directors’ and administration offices, a laundry room, custodial space, ample storage, dedicated stroller and buggy rooms, and a large reception area that welcomes families and sets the tone for the facility. Balancing these functional spaces alongside classroom requirements was an essential part of the planning process.

Our nature-inspired design concept transforms the center into a biophilic* space that engenders curiosity and connection to the outdoors while also resonating with parents seeking a warm, thoughtful, and age-appropriate environment. By integrating earthy tones, natural textures, and greenery elements across the daycare, we’ve brought the outdoors inside.

Using this biophilic approach, we designed the space to feel immersive. Coupling natural tones with the client’s brand colors created a playful and comforting atmosphere for children to bring their own energy and creativity into the space. Tree-inspired columns act as both lighting features and design statements, additionally concealing structural elements that reinforce the immersive theme. House-shaped elements line the hallways, each complete with miniature windows and functional doors, contributing a sense of familiarity and imagination. 

However, designing a children’s daycare required more than aesthetics. Our team skillfully managed building codes, health regulations, operational needs, and physical constraints while optimizing every square foot.

One of the project’s key challenges was navigating building code limitations on hallway dead ends, which vary among age groups served. The first floor, intended for younger children, limited dead-end corridors to no greater than 20 feet. In response, we designed an O-shaped hallway to eliminate them entirely.  For the basement level, serving older children, code permitted up to 50 feet of dead-end corridor in buildings with automatic sprinkler systems. As this facility had the appropriate sprinklers, we took advantage of this exception to plan the layout accordingly. 

Health code requirements, which included group size limits, staff-to-child ratios, and a minimum square footage per child, played a major role in shaping Jolly Early Education’s layout. These factors determined both the number and size of classrooms, and how space was allocated throughout the facility.

On the first floor, we were mindful of maximizing access to existing windows at the rear of the building. Rather than shaping classrooms in a particular way, we made them narrower to fit as many as possible along the rear wall. This not only increased access to daylight but also helped shorten hallway lengths, redirecting more square footage into usable classroom space.

This project illustrates the detailed code analysis and real-world planning required in childcare architecture. Every move in the layout was shaped by regulatory constraints, operational logic, and a goal of creating spaces that work well for children, staff, and visitors.

*A biophilic approach integrates nature into a design.