Child Guidance Center

Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut | Stamford, Connecticut

Prompted by the desire for outdoor space during the pandemic, the Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut sought to transform its underutilized sideyard into an intimate and inviting space for respite and counseling services in a natural setting. Halvorson | Tighe & Bond worked closely with the clinical staff to design a new courtyard, upper terrace, and accessibility upgrades to ensure universal access.

The new courtyard provides staff and patients with a range of versatile spaces, including a cafe terrace under the shade of a custom pergola, an intimate seating area nestled into landscaping, and a flexible-use lawn for play and group activities. Meandering through the courtyard, a natural stream unifies the various spaces and offers children the tactile sensory experience of interacting with water. The gentle cascading of water through the steam also layers in an auditory experience that insulates the courtyard from the busy surrounding urban neighborhood.

At the upper terrace above the courtyard, a pergola with furnishings and seasonal plantings provide a tranquil natural setting for families while they wait for their children.

The courtyard and upper terrace can also be flexed to host occasional community events. Warm lighting along the pathways and in the pergolas provide the client flexibility to host events both day and night.

principal-in-charge

Robert Uhlig FASLA LEED AP BD+C

project manager

Sean Ragan ASLA

Team

Client:
Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut

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