GARDEN OF GRACE

The Garden of Grace Child Development Center was envisioned as a safe haven for the children of Khovd, Mongolia. A place which works to bridge socioeconomic gaps and limitations to create a safe, nurturing space for all children to learn, play and grow. Joint Christian Services (JCS) seeks to build the first indoor, fully accessible playground in the region providing vital space for children during Khovds' harsh cold winters and extreme hot summers. This project was created in collaboration with an incredible multi-disciplinary team of professionals representing Engineering Ministries International (EMI). Together we were able to achieve what equates to months worth of work within a very consolidated timeline. Through careful site analysis, interaction with the local people, investigations of the regions history and architecture an intentional decision was made to derive direct inspiration for the buildings form from the Ger or Yurt, as it is more commonly known. This structure has served for hundreds of years as the common home of the Mongolian people, it still is for many today. However, there was some deliberation about whether utilizing the Ger for direct inspiration would be considered respectful, or potentially inappropriate cultural appropriation. However, we were very glad to find that the local community was honored by the careful consideration of their history and culture and immediately embraced the buildings form. While the Ger serves as the buildings inspiration, careful steps were taken to ensure the design best served the specific programming requirements required by JCS. As a result, the beautifully compelling final form of the building clearly emulates the Ger, whilst having some of its own unique design elements. For example, while Gers are commonly white, a space meant for children would not be complete without the addition of splashes of color on the facade to ensure the building presented a playful element.