Hummingbird Child Care

Hummingbird Child Care is a 32-space sanctuary designed as a “refuge for small people” within a bustling urban context. Nestled under the YVR flightpath and surrounded by heavy traffic, the building’s wrap-around form acts as a protective moat, shielding children from noise and pollution while refocusing their world on an adjacent grove of oaks. The architecture honors Richmond’s diverse history; a zigzagging awning references the forms of local greenhouses, boatbuilding works, and dairy barns. Inside, the scale is purely child-centric. Playful, house-shaped rooms are nested beneath a large, folded roof, creating intimate “miniature homes” for napping and learning. With custom wood friezes and windows at child-height, the design blends agricultural heritage with a whimsical, tactile environment where the city’s youngest residents can thrive.