The Catholic School of St. Eugene

Early Childhood Center

The Catholic Church of St. Eugene Early Childhood Center is undergoing a much-needed campus expansion to accommodate its growing community and the increasing number of young students. With the current spaces outgrown, the expansion will provide additional classrooms specifically designed to offer pre-K education, allowing the church to meet the needs of its youngest members.

The project involves not only adding space but also ensuring that the new building harmonizes with the existing campus. Since the campus features a mix of architectural styles from different decades, Narrate designed the new structure to incorporate elements from both the church and the school, creating a unified aesthetic that brings together the previously disparate design languages.

Read more about St. Eugene and its Getting Ready for the Future campaign here.

Secure, Functional, and Nurturing

A key focus of the expansion is to provide age-appropriate classrooms that are secure, functional, and nurturing. Safety is paramount, and the new facility will feature a secure entry with clear lines of sight, ensuring that children are protected while staff and parents have peace of mind. It will include six classrooms, a multipurpose area for indoor recess and lunch, space for outdoor learning and play, small group rooms for individualized instruction, and a staff work space that will double as a storm shelter for 120.

The interiors are designed with young children in mind, utilizing soft, calming colors informed by color theory to create a peaceful and welcoming environment. The arches that are a signature element of the church’s architecture are also carried through in the design of the new building, reinforcing the visual connection between the church and the expanded early childhood center.

Thoughtful Expansion

Before finalizing the location of the new building, a thorough site analysis and traffic flow study were conducted to ensure that the expansion would seamlessly integrate into the existing campus layout. This analysis also helped determine the best way to manage parking and pedestrian circulation to enhance safety and convenience.

Once the expansion is complete, space will be reallocated across the campus to optimize its functionality, ensuring that the entire church and school community can grow in an organized and efficient manner.