Designed for discovery — from the ground up.
Founded in 2004, Alphabet Academy & The Nest is a network of early childhood schools with a singular purpose: preserving childhood in the modern world. Serving infants through kindergarten across multiple Connecticut campuses, the school is driven by a mission to nurture each child's intellectual, creative, physical, and social potential. CWA has worked with the founder over the years, designing several of the schools, in Hamden, Branford and most recently in Fairfield.
Opened in September 2020, The Nest-Shoreline Campus is located in Branford, CT and serves Shoreline-area families with children from 6 weeks to 5 years old. The school fosters a joyful and child centered education focused on social and emotional development and a deep connection with the outdoors.
Originally a private school, the building’s layout and infrastructure were ill-suited for early childhood education. We led a comprehensive renovation that transformed the outdated facility into a vibrant, functional environment. With a centralized layout that included a commercial kitchen and stairwells at the heart of the building, our design improved circulation and operational efficiency. Classrooms were tailored by age group and arranged around a shared central indoor play area to encourage movement and collaboration.
Cost-effective structural solutions unified the building’s two wings, along with new siding, doors, windows, and a roof monitor to boost natural light. Child-scale finishes, lighting, and fixtures support sensory engagement and safety. Infrastructure improvements—such as new sprinklers, updated HVAC, and electrical systems—ensured code compliance and long-term functionality.
The result is a nurturing, light-filled space thoughtfully designed for early childhood education.
“Our mission is to provide emotionally responsive environments for children to express themselves as capable contributors to society. We grow by building relationships through the security of communal exploration. CWA has not only established a deep understanding of this mission, but their observations lead to design applications that create partnership not only with child and teacher but celebrate that child with scaled connections to the world around them.”
– Amy Small, Founder Alphabet Academy & The Nest
Rooted in the Reggio Emilia philosophy, Alphabet Academy & The Nest embraces child-led, experiential learning in environments that foster wonder, collaboration, and deep connection with the natural world. From generous time outdoors and farm-to-table nutrition to emotionally responsive teaching and strong home-school partnerships, every aspect of the program reflects a commitment to raising confident, curious, and compassionate children.
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