November 12, 2026
Literacy Rich Neighborhood Wins A4LE + EDmarket Award
Community-centered design transforms everyday spaces into opportunities for early childhood learning
KSS Architects' Literacy Rich Neighborhood project for Mt. Airy Community Development Corporation has received a 2026 A4LE + EDmarket Project Award in the Component Category, recognizing an innovative approach to integrating early childhood learning into the built environment.
Part of the broader Literacy Rich Neighborhoods Initiative, a nationwide effort to expand access to high-quality early childhood educational opportunities, the project draws on research in playful learning to transform everyday neighborhood spaces into interactive installations that support literacy and language development for young children and their caregivers.
At The Hive, interactive elements prompt lessons around the importance of community
In Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood, the project took shape through three outdoor installations—The Hive, The Nest, and Seeds & Bees—embedded within historic community spaces. Developed over four years of collaboration among community organizations, local advocates, literacy experts, and neighbors, the installations reflect Germantown's culture, history, and identity while inviting storytelling, conversation, creative exploration, and learning through play.
The Nest serves as a year-round destination for ongoing literacy programming
By extending learning beyond the traditional classroom, these installations demonstrate how the built environment can support early childhood development and help address educational inequities. Each space was shaped through community co-design, incorporating local histories and values while supporting opportunities for critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and confidence-building.
Seeds and Bees, a playful learning installation in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia
“How many people can say they learned to read in The Johnson House? So many co-conspirators came here to make this a better place - it is very intentional, ancestral, and it’s rooted in everything that my child is,” shared a Germantown resident and parent of a reading camp participant.
Rooted in the communities they serve, these playful learning environments foster belonging, neighborhood ownership, and opportunities for children and families to participate in the civic and cultural life of their city. Literacy Rich Neighborhood demonstrates how small-scale, community-centered design interventions can create meaningful and lasting opportunities for learning.
Project Team
- Mt. Airy Community Development Corporation, Client
- William Penn Foundation, Grant Funder
- Playful Learning Landscapes, Playful Learning Advisor
- Watchdog Real Estate Project Management, Grant Project Manager
- Interpret Green, Interactive Content Designer
- Weston Design & Fabrication Studio, Fabricator
