Case Studies

Cranbourne Day Care and Kindergarten Centre have a long history of early childhood education and care in the Southeast suburbs of Melbourne. Barefoot Projects had the pleasure of previously working with the group, in the implementation of the landscapes at the Oroya Grove centre in Clyde.

Through a series of conversations and on the back of having completed Oroya Grove so successfully, the Cranbourne group and Barefoot began the design process for the refurbishment of their flag ship centre in Cranbourne Drive Cranbourne.

The project was the first of this kind for Barefoot and the Cranbourne group, where Barefoot provisioned the entire project, from design all the way through to practical completion. The aspects of this specific design were in keeping with the vision of the group, whilst allowing Steve Murphy the freedom to exercise his creative muscle and bring together an exceptional design.

The key focal points of this playscape are evident in the pirate ship design, the play forts, jumping Pillow and surfaces but the initiative behind the production of the scape is the true win.

The Barefoot design team in conjunction with our onsite Trades planning team, were able to coordinate the project parameters, including subcontracted works and develop an extensive planning schedule that managed to deliver the project to completion within the allocated time frames, whilst wrangling the confines of restrictions and industry shut downs due to Covid.

Barefoot were able to draw on the experience of our design and estimation teams in pulling the submission to the Cranbourne group together but it was the installation of our newly formed trades planning team that enabled us to deliver this immense project on time.

Through “thinktank” methodology Barefoot learned the true value of the planning aspect incorporating our on staff skilled trades prior to the project kick off, which was previously the domain of the estimation team alone.

This newly developed and dynamic initiative, within the business, gave greater visibility over potential roadblocks and gave us the agility to circumvent delays.

When handing over any project to the new owner of the landscape, Barefoot always have a sense of accomplishment but this specific project held a greater meaning for us and for the Cranbourne group. Being entrusted with the complete development and implementation of the Landscape Construction of their flag ship centre, was such an honour and has meant the sustenance and growth of a relationship we, at Barefoot treasure.

The Explorers Early Learning Group have grown from strength to strength in the last few years, they embrace the Reggio Emilia approach, and this means the centres are purpose built with an emphasis on environment, sensory discovery, and engagement. With this in mind, the landscape architecture of these centres is rich and vibrant to invoke excitement of surroundings in the children they care for.

The Explorers ethos had to be captured in the scapes, Barefoot created a variety of different areas to develop a tactile learning paradise. The scope included water play areas with a handpump installation into a dry creek bed, rustic vegetable planting boxes and misting arbours to encourage interest in growing flora and natural sand pits that are simply just a lot of fun.

The true key to this project was the use of natural fibres to melt into the scenic back drop of the surrounding area. Crazy and peddle paved surfaces integrated with beautiful, lush green turf to catch the eye and the use of natural timbers to create, bespoke play forts and even an animal enclosure.

These scapes are designed to truly inspire in the most unassuming of ways.

The Barefoot team was, as always, equipped with the armoury of a strong and developed preplanning focus and combined with highly skilled trades onsite, we were able to deliver this very large scape in record time, to say the timeline was tight is an understatement!

What we take away from a project like Explorers Beaconsfield is a true understanding of the importance of planning to deadlines and understanding the capabilities of your team. And without the professional and experienced team we have, this one would have been tough to pull off.

Barefoot happily handed over an exceptional project, the playscapes are a wonderful meld of colour and tones that remind of the surroundings of this local area that still maintains a small country town feel.

The purpose build structures stand bold in the playscape for each age range area, giving rise to the ambitious tackling of challenges, these structures inspire independent play, with ground surfaces designed to protect, and the textures of the installation will continue to grow appreciation of mother nature, in the children that attend the centre.