Capilano University Fulmer Family Center for Childhood Studies: Biophilic Learning in Action

The Fulmer Family Center for Childhood Studies at Capilano University is a groundbreaking educational facility that brings together early learners, future educators, and the coastal forest environment in a collaborative, immersive setting. Designed by Public Architecture + Design, the Center exemplifies how biophilic design and mass timber construction can embody the pedagogical principles of the Reggio Emilia Approach while achieving Step Code 4 energy performance.

A Living Classroom for Children and Educators

Serving 74 children and 125 future educators, the Center is designed as a shared home across four child cohorts. The building integrates licensed child care spaces with Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) teaching areas, creating a seamless relationship between care and education. This approach not only fosters experiential learning but also addresses a regional gap in child care capacity.

At the heart of the design is the Strada, a central, interconnected hub that facilitates daily routines, cohort-wide activities, and the display of children’s artwork—a core element of Reggio Emilia philosophy. The Strada connects the second-floor ECCE teaching spaces to faculty areas, providing visual and auditory links that enhance interactions between educators and children. Natural light filters from above, enriching the interior environment and promoting well-being.

Integration with Nature

Set within a forested landscape, the Center preserves the mature northern forest as an outdoor play area, featuring small-scale structures built from natural, site-cleared materials. Child care spaces face the forest, with floor-to-ceiling glazing that blurs the line between indoor and outdoor learning. On the second floor, ECCE teaching areas continue this connection, offering views of the treetops through the skylight above the Strada.

The building’s design is responsive to its context: linear forms and expressive mass timber structures resonate with the region’s architectural character. Low rooflines and strategically angled drip lines ensure appropriate scale for young occupants, maximize solar access, and protect outdoor areas from rain. Timber overhangs provide shade for office spaces while sheltering outdoor learning areas.

Celebrating Wood and Local Craftsmanship

Douglas Fir glulam dendritic columns dominate the central spaces, branching skyward like trees to meet clerestory glazing. Douglas Fir panels and millwork line the child care areas, visually connecting indoor and outdoor play spaces while providing durable wall protection. The Strada’s timber pickets partially conceal sound-absorptive insulation, while overhead wood fiber panels enhance acoustics in the coffered ceilings.

The building’s exterior further tells a story through charcoal-tinted cedar cladding, inspired by the children’s art curriculum that transforms burnt charcoal into creative expression. The material choice highlights both durability and connection to the Center’s educational philosophy, making the architecture itself a learning tool.The Fulmer Family Center for Childhood Studies is more than a building—it’s a living laboratory for early childhood development, sustainable design, and educator training. By harmonizing biophilic architecture, mass timber construction, and the Reggio Emilia Approach, the Center exemplifies a new model for educational facilities that nurture children, inspire educators, and respect the natural environment.

A Hub for Learning, Play, and Community

The Fulmer Family Center for Childhood Studies is more than a building—it’s a living laboratory for early childhood development, sustainable design, and educator training. By harmonizing biophilic architecture, mass timber construction, and the Reggio Emilia Approach, the Center exemplifies a new model for educational facilities that nurture children, inspire educators, and respect the natural environment.

All photographs are works of Andrew Latreille Photography