Architects are to perform a makeover on a centre for women and children

(Photograph) - Architects are to perform a makeover on a centre for women and children established in London 77 years ago by a wealthy American suffragette. The Katherine Low Settlement will continue to provide community services with the addition of new creche and cafe facilities and office space for the Sure Start project in Battersea. The new buildings, which are expected to open next autumn, have been designed by Eger architects with an emphasis on lightness, brightness and natural materials throughout. The creche will open on to the children's outdoor play area, part of which is covered over to provide shelter. Project architect James Sheppard said, 'I think we were trying to appeal to the young children in terms of the qualities of the materials, making it tactile, homely and welcoming. There's a timber frame, and there are coloured bricks inserted into the back wall of the building at child eye-height level. The back of the building also has a flat roof that is lower than the rest of the structure, creating a retreat for storytelling or resting.'