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Recent and Current Projects

Our team specializes in design work for children and families in a variety of settings. The Learning eNewsletter often reports only on our childcare projects, but we would like to update you on other projects we are working on related to children and families across the globe.

We currently have 14 active family-related projects (not child care or play gardens) in various stages of feasibility, site selection and acquisition, design and opening. Here are details on a few of those projects.

Mother Nature's Farm, Gilbert, Arizona, U.S.A.
Mother Nature's Farm, a 45-acre agritainment farm, has become completely surrounded by development in the town of Gilbert, a suburban area southeast of Phoenix, Arizona. Having outgrown its existing facilities, Mother Nature's Farm has retained White Hutchinson to develop a feasibility study and new master plan that includes a children's discovery farm, a farm restaurant, a farm market and seasonal/harvest festival event area and to process a special-use zoning approval with the town of Gilbert for the new development plan.

Westview Orchards & Cider Mill, Romeo, Michigan, U.S.A.
Spanning 188 acres, Westview Orchards & Cider Mill is the result of six generations of family dedication. Dating to 1813, Westview Orchards began as a small garden and orchard established by Michael Bowerman shortly after his service in the War of 1812.

Customers can stock up on homegrown fruits and vegetables from the farm market, sample fresh apple cider from the state-of-the-art cider mill, enjoy homemade confections in K's Kitchen Bakery, visit and pet the farm animals, challenge themselves in the 12-acre corn maze, feel like a kid again in the Kidz Korner, pick apples or pumpkins or sit back and enjoy a cozy wagon ride through the picturesque orchards. White Hutchinson provided an evaluation of the family and child friendly events at this orchard.

The Mall at Marathon, Nassau, Bahamas
The Mall at Marathon is planning a new entertainment anchored addition. White Hutchinson has been retained to determine feasibility and develop the mix for relocation and expansion of the existing family entertainment center in the mall to the new addition.

Stone Fire Pizza Company, New Berlin, Wisconsin, U.S.A.
Stone Fire Pizza Co., a family pizza buffet-entertainment center, opened Nov. 10, 2006, in New Berlin, Wisconsin, a Milwaukee suburb.
The 37,000-square-foot center seats 460 people in four differently themed dining rooms in its all-you-can eat buffet area:

• Northern Woods, a quiet dining room
• The Fan Club, sports-themed with nine television screens showing ESPN sports
• Toon City, showing children's cartoons
• Discovery Play, a dining room with children's pretend-play activities

Additionally, there are eight private birthday rooms. Including the party rooms, there is seating for more than 620 people. The family entertainment area occupies half the center and features bumper cars, a bouldering wall, a three-level interactive foam ball play Ballocity unit, four lanes of mini-bowling, a children's Frog Hopper ride, 90 redemption and ride-simulator games and a redemption prize store.

Click to see slideshow of StoneFire Pizza Co.

Click to see slideshow of StoneFire Pizza Co.

The all-you-can-eat buffet features an extensive selection of foods, including a salad bar, soups, 16 different pizza selections, Asian and Italian foods, a children's buffet area, desserts and an extensive selection of drinks.

As part of our overall brand imaging of the business, we not only designed the facility, but also developed the name, the logo and the costumed mascot, Mel T. Designing a facility like Stone Fire Pizza Co. requires a fully coordinated effort to ensure a consistent brand image. It's really all about developing a brand, not just designing a facility. The brand not only includes the exterior and interior building design (known as the trade dress), but a logo that coordinates with the trade dress and conveys the look and feel of the business.

The Discovery Play Dining Room is also a first for the industry with play areas designed specifically for children eight years and younger with its train table, water table, do-it-yourself face painting, pretend pizza restaurant, block play and soft-modular-play structure. The Discovery Play Dining Room offers parents with younger children the opportunity to dine and socialize without concern that their children will become bored and restless.

Silver Lake Fitness Center, Erlanger, Kentucky, U.S.A.
Our client has completed the renovation of a family-focused fitness center that includes a popular playroom for children younger than four.

Children's Museum, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The White Hutchinson team has been asked to put together an initial concept plan for a children's museum in Saudi Arabia. The center will serve children through age 10 and their parents. The site will also be used for field trips for private and public schools in the area.

Sun Mountain Fun Center, Bend, Oregon, U.S.A.
Ten years ago, we conducted the feasibility study and developed the master plan for expansion of a stand-alone bowling center into an indoor-outdoor family entertainment center. The owners have retained us to undertake an audit of the center to evaluate its operation and make recommendations for upgrades and expansion. Website: www.sunmountainfun.com.

Enclosed mall, Texas, U.S.A
White Hutchinson has been retained as design managers to oversee the renovation of a one-million-square-foot (93,000 sm) enclosed mall that will include adding an open-air lifestyle component. Work will include design and development of a children's play and discovery center.

Al Ghariyan Resort, Qatar
We conducted an evaluation of this seaside family resort and recommended a redevelopment and expansion master plan program.

At-home mom's playcafé, greater Chicago area, U.S.A.
We are design a playcafé that targets at-home moms café. The café will include play elements for children from infant to age 5.

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