On 25 January, Perspective, Hong Kong's premier architecture and design magazine announced the winners of the 2023 A&D Design Awards. The Yew Wah Infant and Toddler Discovery Centre of Shanghai (YWITDC Shanghai) won the "Best Interior Design Award" in Education category for its innovative "Two Wonder Stones" design concept.

Located in Shanghai's Changning District, YWITDC Shanghai is Yew Chung Yew Wah's first learning space for children aged 0-3 in the Chinese mainland. Designed by the architecture firm Eureka, the new space of the Discovery Centre officially opened in June 2023.

Diverging from the conventional layout of classroom layout, the design of the Discovery Centre transcends boundaries and reshapes the entire space into a dynamic and multi-layered community for play and learning. At its core, the design begins with two stones—one large and one small—strategically placed in a rectangular space, creating a fluid experience of exploration and discovery.

"The design encourages children to engage in multiple forms of learning in various spaces and at different times. Children can explore spaces from different perspectives and angles—from high and low; from above and below. They can perceive three-dimensional spaces and learn to recognize the differences in spaces," explained Ms Annette Pui Man Chu, the designer of the space and the Founder of Eureka.

The design of the space encourages exploration and greatly enhances the basic teaching practice of the Discovery Centre, "learning through play". The environment is the third teacher for children aged 0-3, and the main way of learning is through exploration. At the Discovery Centre, children can explore the world with all their senses and movements. They can feel empowered and respected while engaging in activities that develop their core competencies.

According to Ms Chu, the collaboration with YCYW was a rewarding interaction. She said, "Spaces and learning are inextricably linked because the environment itself can inspire behaviour. We are constantly discovering how young children learn, play, and explore. We are gaining insights into their world and constantly looking for new ways to encourage and facilitate their exploration. The collaboration with YCYW has been a truly enriching and fulfilling experience."

In order to meet the diverse needs of infants and toddlers of different ages and their families, the Discovery Centre now offers a range of flexible options, including half-day classes, full-day classes, after-school classes, and hourly classes. The Saturday morning hourly classes are available for children aged 6 months to 5 years. In addition, in order to give back to society and to allow more families to gain access to professional infant and toddler education, the Discovery Centre organises public education services on a regular basis to benefit more families.

Talking about her feelings after seeing the space in use, Ms Chu described it as, "full of joy and suprises". She said, "The children bring life to the space and always come up with new ways to use the space. This amazes me. The children are always teaching me valuable lessons."