Play and learn
Nubo Chatswood
Nubo, the award-winning children’s play space, has opened a second Sydney location following consultation with Frost* on customer experience and the needs of future users of the new space.
To compliment the original Alexandria location’s ‘play and stay’ model, with a focus on parent and child interaction, the new Chatswood location offers a ‘drop off’ service in tandem with the original model.
This new format has been devised to compliment the needs to parents using the adjoining Chatswood Chase shopping centre, offering a quality experience for learning and socialisation while parents address the practical needs of their family.
Frost*’s strategy for the play space offers an opportunity for parents to ‘get things done’ in a time-efficient and pragmatic fashion balanced with the tangible value they can see leaving their children to spend time in the new Nubo space.
Collaborating again with Nubo and architects Joey Ho and Patrick Leung from PAL Design Architects, Urbanite, part of the Frost*collective, designed rooms for investigative scientific learning and a theatre room designed to be a flexible space for physical activity. These spaces were conceived based on Urbanite’s research around the types of play children need to engage in for a complete learning experience.
In the Sensory Room science experiments, investigative learning using microscopes projected onto screens, and exploration through texture using sand and water are encouraged. Sensory experiences and experimental play are facilitated by a large illuminated Corian resin sink, designed to encourage children to create, investigate and explore by mixing colours, liquids, bubbles and ice.
The Drama Room houses a theatre with a dress up box and LED lights children can manipulate throughout their own performances. Imaginations are ignited as make-believe scenarios are played out using puppets and stuffed animals, or by children dressing up and acting out roles with props themselves. Yoga, gymnastics and physical activities are encouraged in this space.
There are also the Arts and Crafts Room and The Build Room, all four spaces are designed to be used for free play, or to enable structured classes designed to help children learn and engage.
In the free-play space, running, hiding, climbing, jumping and balancing are encouraged to develop coordination and release energy.
