Client
Merck-Medco Child Care LLC
Location
Franklin Lakes, New Jersey
Award
NJ Business & Industry, 2001 Good Neighbor Award
Merck-Medco Managed Care, LLC wanted to build a childcare facility for its employees’ children on its 200+ acre corporate headquarters site in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.
SNS Architects and Engineers, PC worked together with Merck-Medco and the childcare program operator to design a 22,000 sq. ft. facility for 200 children varying in age from 6 months to 5 years.
The facility was designed around a central courtyard playground protecting the children who are visible from the interior loop corridor, the classrooms, the library and the director’s office.
Clerestones of translucent panels, high-sloped ceilings, adjoining pantries, and toilets provide for both a comfortable and unique classroom environment.
A translucent paneled multi-purpose room allows for playroom activities during inclement weather and for adult seminar presentations. A teacher’s lounge with a “teaching” kitchen can be used for classroom baking, while the administrator wing houses reception, files and records, directors, office and conference room, nurse and visitor’s office, library, laundry and refuse areas.
The mechanical system was designed with a radiant slab system and individual unit ventilators in each classroom, allowing the individual classrooms to maintain their own climate control, minimizing the sharing of air.
The integrated disciplines within SNS Architects and Engineers, PC including Architecture, Civil/Structural Engineering and Interior Design, facilitated in the speedy completion of the facility.
Design dwells somewhere between the disciplines of science and art. Although some firms may be content with functional solutions to problems at hand, SNS responds with designs that are pragmatic, valuable and aesthetic. We incorporate solutions with a wide variety of human, physical, and external factors; this results in spaces that bear vitality, productivity, flexibility, identity and innovation.
We listen. Each project is unique and requires specific resolutions.
We listen carefully. Our clients’ objectives and ultimate goals determine our methods and solutions so that an effective and smooth transition can be achieved between intent, execution and realization.
Flexibility is of paramount importance in our design approach. Whether the project is large or small, the level of service and attention is the same. Each design must provide our clients with the comfort that the absolute best has been achieved; aesthetically, efficiently and cost effectively with rapid response and adherence to schedules.
We solve problems. Problems and unexpected conditions on a project are challenges we meet and resolve every day. It is not enough making the most of advantageous conditions and compensating for the limitations; we enhance each project by going beyond the obvious solution and provide value that goes far beyond the fee of our services.
This is done with our response to our clients’ human, physical or external programming factors.
By listening to our clients’ objectives and understanding our clients’ goals, we synthesize program and form, materials and methods with creativity and innovation to provide spaces of vitality and identity.
Such spaces remain cost effective, flexible, and efficient with proper project management – a trait we have learned well in our almost five decades of practice.
We design. Teamwork and personal responsibility are ingrained in our design philosophy with projects served directly by Principals and associates; we remain “on top” of all conditions that may arise.
We are collaborative. Relationships with our consultants and close coordination of their work result in excellence of the end product.
We are contingent on the mutual trust and respect of our team members and our clients. The success of the project and the level of satisfaction of our clients is the reason for our professional longevity and our continuing success.