THE HUGS AND CUDDLES HAVEN
Ahmedabad (Gujarat)
PROJECT FACTS
- Client: Mrs. Bela Jaideep
- Location: Ahmedabad, (Gujarat)
- Curriculum: Finnish
- Official Website: https://www.havenbyhnc.in
- Capacity: 200 Students
- Site Area: 40,000 sq. ft.
- Built-up Area: 12500 sq.ft
- Status: Ongoing
The Hugs and Cuddles Haven is a purpose-built preschool campus designed to support early childhood development through nature, play, and meaningful exploration. Designed by The School Designs Studio, a leading preschool architecture firm in India, specialising in educational institution design, the campus reflects an approach rooted in research-backed early childhood pedagogy.
A key highlight of this project is its inspiration from the Finnish approach to early childhood education, where emotional well-being, play, and curiosity shape the learning environment.
The design translates this philosophy into a child-centered, immersive space that encourages exploration and growth at one’s own pace.
- Emotion First
The spatial design prioritises comfort, safety, and connection—creating warm, welcoming environments where children feel secure and supported. - Play as Learning
Indoor and outdoor areas are designed for unstructured, interactive play, fostering creativity, problem-solving, and social development.
- Child-Led Discovery
Flexible and engaging spaces empower children to explore their interests freely, allowing curiosity to guide their learning journey.
The campus layout ensures seamless indoor–outdoor interaction. Tumble tracks, splash play areas, peekaboo trails, and an open-sky cooking studio encourage active play, sensory development, and meaningful engagement with nature — essential components of effective preschool design. Natural materials and warm colors support a calm, safe, and emotionally comforting atmosphere.
Indoor environments are thoughtfully zoned for fine-motor development, gross-motor play, and imaginative learning. Manipulative boards, tunnels, slides, ball pits, and role-play corners create diverse opportunities for cognitive, physical, and creative growth.
Family engagement was a crucial part of the design brief.
In alignment with the Finnish approach and the founder’s vision, we created a dedicated Parent-Toddler space, known as the Baby and Me program — a setting that encourages parents to participate in their child’s early emotional and developmental journey.
A unique element of the preschool’s identity is Peeko — the red-mountain squirrel. The design narrative draws from Peeko’s journey from a delicate nestling to a confident tree-top explorer, symbolising the growth, curiosity, and courage that the school seeks to nurture in every child.
Hugs and Cuddles Haven stands as a thoughtfully crafted early learning environment where architecture, nature, and pedagogy converge. As one of India’s best architecture firms for educational institutions — from preschools to K12 schools, colleges, and universities– The School Designs Studio continues to design inspiring, future-ready learning spaces across the country.
