General Services Administration

GSA PBS-140 Child Care Center Design Guide General Services Administration

The GSA Federal Child Care Center Design Guide contains criteria for planning and designing child care centers in GSA-owned or controlled spaces. It is intended for use in developing future centers and expanding or renovating existing ones. Furthermore, it aims not only to specify design criteria but also to explain the rationale for the criteria in order to enhance professional judgment. The criteria contained in the Guide establish the baseline levels of features and finishes to be provided in all GSA centers. The Guide also identifies desired or allowable design features. The objective of the Guide is to promote centers that are child-oriented, developmentally appropriate, beautiful, environmentally sensitive, health promoting and functional. The designer needs to be aware that a child may be in a center up to 12,500 hours if he or she starts as an infant and continues until entering school. Because children spend such long hours at the center, the design of their spaces is especially critical. The design effort must allow for, and be sensitive to, the differences in space attributes for children and those for adults as well as the differences in space usage by the children in different age groups. Information about the characteristics and activities of the children is included to provide rationale for aspects of design. The requirements and recommendations set forth in the Guide are aimed at establishing optimal design; though, specific maximum or minimum requirements are stated when appropriate. This public domain material was published by Mr. Luis Ayala, former Director of Property Development, GSA Region 7. More GSA titles: cybah.webplus.net/index.html GSA P-100 Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service GSA P-120 Cost and Schedule Management Policy Requirements GSA PBS-140 Child Care Center Design Guide