Oasis for the Senses

A shared landscape for play, learning, and connection

Landscapes  >  Oasis for the Senses

With a thoughtful balance of play, learning, and retreat, The Green Room shapes Second Sky, a community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to early childhood and family wellbeing, as an inclusive environment that brings caregivers and children together across generations.

Located on the Creative Machines campus near some of Tucson’s most under-resourced neighborhoods, the project provides a welcoming gathering place where families with young children learn and play side by side. Programming centers on developmentally informed play, early learning experiences, and caregiver education that support healthy cognitive, social, and emotional growth.

The space is intentionally aspirational and accessible, offering an attractive mix of amenities that draws families from across socio-economic lines. By attracting both under-resourced families and those with greater means, Second Sky fosters social mixing that strengthens relationships and builds community.

Extending outdoors, a children’s garden unfolds as a sensory oasis. Curving paths move through grasses, trees, and fragrant plantings, while shaded play structures, gentle water features, and quiet refuges invite movement, curiosity, and moments of calm. Designed for discovery, the landscape supports imagination, confidence, and connection.