Lighting: should aim to emulate the variability and flexibility of nature, from soft, subdued and shadowy
to bright task areas. Lights are also eye-catching elements: children love them as a sparkly feature.
Texture and pattern: can help to provide spatial differentiation (such as variety of floor finishes),
tactile entertainment, as well as acting as a learning tool.
Smell: such as the beautiful smell of cooking, garden flowers on the breeze, wood joinery. Avoid
chemical paints and plastics.
Sound: Providing sound absorption materials and sound insulation to delineate quiet areas can make
a significant improvement to the ambient quality of a centre. Musical features, if used judiciously, can
provide hours of amusement such as the musical ‘soft metal’ stairs at the Maramotti Centre in Reggio
Emilia (see p. 65).
A dynamic and interesting ceiling plane: Because of their small stature and many ways of moving
other than just walking, children are constantly looking up, so the features of the voids above take on
particular significance.