The Harbour Family and Children's Centre
Hours Open
10am - 5pm
Address
1 Seafarer Lane, Victoria Harbour, Docklands
Architects
William Boags (Concept) and Design Inc
Year Built
2008 -2009
Building Type
Community
What is Open
Children's garden, dining room, and a children’s room
Tour Frequency
None
Tram Stop
Stop D3: Bourke Street and Harbour Esplanade on routes 48, 70 and City Circle
Description
The Harbour Family and Children's Centre is a hub for family services including a Maternal and Child Health Centre run by the City of Melbourne and is a purpose-designed and built collaboration between Gowrie Victoria, the City of Melbourne, Lend Lease and VicUrban.
The building has been carefully planned from a child's perspective and includes a dining room, art spaces and rooms that all open out onto an open air 'living garden' playground on the first floor. The playground includes a sandpit, veggie garden, climbing and digging areas, and plants and trees. The playgrounds are watered from tanks incorporated into the external walls.
Some of the key features of this leading-edge model for future children's centres include:
• energy efficient lighting
• natural ventilation and low energy air conditioning
• water harvesting
• neutral colours to invite children's contributions
• the use of texture and diverse planting in the outdoor landscape to engaged children interest
Significance
The Harbour Family and Children's Centre is a new purpose-built haven for children, families and workers in Docklands offering services including child care, kindergarten, play groups, occasional care and maternal and child health services. The environmentally sustainable design offers children unique and exciting learning spaces with large light filled rooms, specially developed living gardens and outdoor play areas.
What’s Open?
As part of Melbourne Open House, visitors will be able to wander through the centre accessing the children's garden, dining room, and a children's room.
