Shape NC Design Workshop and Training

Each of the three Shape NC, two-day design workshops is aimed at engaging representatives from the annual cohort of participating Model Early Learning Centers (MELCs) in creating a design program and schematic design for each site. Workshops are held at the College of Design, NC State University. Led by NLI's team of landscape designers, design workshop participation is part of the Design-to-Construction-Process for all 30 MELCs (over the 3-year project period).

Two staff members from each MELC (owner or director and lead teacher) and a Technical Assistant (TA) from the North Carolina Partnership for Children (NCPC—Smart Start) local affiliate make up the center team. In addition four regional Hub Specialists provide support to the MELCs in each of four regions. Prior to the workshop, the NLI team visits each MELC to participate in a Community Meeting, to evaluate the site, and to take measurements for the base drawing required for the site design process.

Day One of the workshop kicks off with an introduction to naturalizing and assessing the Outdoor Learning Environment (OLE), giving each center team foundation knowledge they need to develop a design program for their site. Day Two is devoted to applying the design program content to create a conceptual site design. Each day, MELC teams share homework assignments presenting cultural, geographic or natural history stories that could provide special meaning to their site. Presentations of the final OLE designs are the DAY Two grand finale.

Year One Workshop Agenda – June 2-3, 2011 – Cohort One of 8 participating centers

Year Two Workshop Agenda – January 19-20, 2012 – Cohort Two of 10 participating centers

Year Three Workshop: TBD – Cohort Three of 12 participating centers