Little Saints Early Learning at All Saints’ College
Shaped into playful levels, outdoor rooms, and seasonal gardens, the landscape spaces of Little Saints Early Learning invite children aged one to four to explore, imagine, and discover through self-directed play. From sliding down terraced lawns to collecting seeds from native plants, every element encourages curiosity, independence, and connection with nature.
UDLA designed the external spaces for Little Saints Early Learning in close collaboration with the College, the architects, and Year 7 students, who acted as site custodians. Their involvement addressed concerns about tree loss and ensured the new design resonated with the wider school community. Unlike earlier proposals, which failed to gain support, this approach created a landscape that connects with both children and the College’s culture.
The sloped site became an opportunity for playful connections. A slide with terraced lawns provides a lively alternative to steps, while the “Tree Museum” transforms the undercroft into a place of discovery. Views both to the main campus and across the oval help young children feel part of the broader school environment.
The spaces were conceived as outdoor classrooms – places for learning, socialising, and connecting with nature. Quiet and active zones are carefully balanced, with outdoor ‘rooms’ shaped by scaled forms and sensory planting.
Across the site, spaces are multifunctional, safe, and designed for endurance. The result is a playful and resilient landscape that fosters curiosity and independence in children aged one to four while reflecting the identity of All Saints’ College.
The landscape avoids fixed play equipment, encouraging children to invent their own games and explore through imagination. A reconstituted block wall wraps the upper play space like a ribbon, defining outdoor rooms and regulating access by ability – children reach new areas only when ready to climb. Planting schedules were designed to create seasonal ‘events,’ with native species offering seeds to collect, spread, and observe.
Details:
Client: All Saints’ College
Aboriginal Country: Whadjuk Noongar Country
Location: Bull Creek, WA
Dates: 2023 - 2024
Landscape Architect: UDLA
Collaborators: Matt Crawford Architects JV with Tom Goddard Architects (Architects), Jahne Rees (Play Elements)
Photo credits: Dion Robeson
