Malaika Early Childhood Education Center

Malaika Early Childhood Education Center is housed in the vibrant ThriveOn King Collaboration in Milwaukee’s historic Bronzeville neighborhood. Situated within a renovated 1910’s department store, the center responds directly to community-identified needs for enhanced childcare and early childhood education—a vision shaped through extensive local feedback. This project marks Malaika’s second location, embodying a commitment to both community engagement and adaptive reuse. Curved walls pay homage to the classic jewelry cases that once graced the space. This historical reference is reinvented through playful, acoustic “critters” and bold, rounded forms that adorn both walls and ceilings. Each classroom is uniquely identified by a color and critter—such as the red ladybug room or blue dragonfly room—to aid in wayfinding and provide an engaging educational element that introduces shapes, colors, and familiar critter names.