Drawing parallels with Reggio Emilia methodologies and as part of the 2011 Eco Cubby initiative, a workshop program for children that places architects and designers in schools and communities to promote the concept of sustainable design, Statkus Architecture was selected by Regional Arts Victoria to work with the 3 and 4 year old children and staff of Swinburne Prahran Community Children’s Centre Co-operative (SPCCCC).

This culminated in a concept design and scale model for a proposed “Eco Cubby” at the end of 2011.

The cubby proposal drew on some of the intuitive and uninhibited sketches, drawings and models produced by the young children in response to a series of mini architectural studios we undertook.

It is hoped this compilation of forms represents the inherent positivity of youth, while allowing visual interpretation of the spaces and forms to spark future speculation and creativity among the many children that will engage with this cubby.

In 2012, SPCCCC wished to see this project through to construction and pro-bono services were provided by Statkus Architecture along with Arup Engineers, Stokes Perna Building Surveyors and builder Constructive Group who worked together to realize this project for minimal cost to this non for profit organization.

This program initiative presented an exciting opportunity for young people to explore architectural and sustainable concepts, not only through discussion, but also in design, model building, witnessing the process of a construction project and ultimately through play and interaction.

We are proud of this little, but complex project that was completed early 2013 and all that worked on it including most importantly all the future architects involved in the project (if they so choose).