Konishi Gaffney’s design for the new Toddlers Hut in Portobello reimagines the UK’s oldest independent childcare facility as a sustainable, two-storey building overlooking the sea. Developed through a three-year collaboration with a local not-for-profit playgroup and extensive community consultation, the new split-gabled structure draws inspiration from the language of traditional beach huts. The ground floor provides generous, light-filled play space and garden access, while the upper level houses a kitchen and a tranquil storytelling nook with sweeping coastal views. Materials are rooted in place - recycled brick references the area’s industrial past, and timber cladding and clerestory glazing offer warmth and privacy. A curved corner window at child height frames the promenade and sea beyond, while a covered timber nuri-en provides a subtle threshold between indoors and out. With solar PV, solar thermal, rainwater harvesting and a SUDS-integrated sandpit, the building achieves an A* energy rating and sets a benchmark for low-impact, community-rooted design.