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The new Young Mind Center facility enables the organization to expand its offerings in the areas of autism diagnosis, behavioral intervention, educational support, staff training and professional development, and family support. The Center’s flexible array of spaces further support its long-term goal to serve as an integral part of the Phoenix community.
We transformed the concrete building by punching larger openings in the East and South facades of the building, allowing natural light to spill into the interior and provide spectacular views outward to the mountainous landscape. By selectively exposing elements of the existing building, such as the original wood ceiling trusses, we were able to maximize the allocated budget.
A welcoming lobby featuring the Center’s new logo serves as a point of orientation and access to the Center’s meeting rooms, one-on-one assessment rooms, preschool classrooms, an indoor gymnasium / recreation area and upper-floor staff training areas.
We collaborated with Dig Studio on a vibrant new outdoor play and picnic area that is both shaded and secure. Throughout the interior and exterior, we employed design elements that are kid-friendly and sensory-aware. The outdoor spaces provide for an enhanced sensory experience with a “sensory walk”, textured wall panels, fragrant plants, swings, and a metallophone.
The interior walls feature Baltic birch plywood, a common material in children’s furniture, built-in interactive elements, and child-sized nooks. Each classroom features a wall niche with a unique feature to invite exploration, whether it be a reading nook, busy board or chalkboard surface.
Photography: Dan Ryan
