North Bay Children’s Center is a non-profit, community-supported organization that provides nurturing, developmentally-based educational programs for children from age 6 weeks through age 5 years. After working with NBCC to create a modular campus completed in 2019, Dorman Associates, Inc. was again engaged to redevelop their existing 25 year old campus at their approximately 1.34 acre property, and create a new 19,824 s.f. building that will increase their preschool capacity, expand the Garden of Eatin’ indoor and outdoor lab, and upgrade their teacher training and family involvement facilities.

The building’s architecture has been designed to reflect the ‘Spanish Eclectic’ style of the Historical Hamilton Airfield District in Novato, CA. The proposed facility will serve over 120 children expanding their program slots to Transitional Kindergarten and After School Program. The new farm and garden area will enhance their renowned nutrition program for the participating families as well as residents and other community childcare centers. Children will learn as they plant, water, nurture, harvest, and eat the produce that they have helped grow.

One unique strategy of the NBCC campus is the incorporation of rain-gardens throughout the site to mitigate and reuse rainwater to enhance the native plant palette throughout the site. 

The center embodies the principles that permeate our projects, including a direct connection between the classrooms and play areas, a communal entry that encourages parent interactions as well as teacher support areas that allow for optimal teacher observation throughout the classrooms.