A transformative, values-based space designed to nurture emotional well-being, creativity, and self-regulation in children through experiential design.

The Magical Place at Hogar Nueva Granada is a multidisciplinary, experience-driven project that merges spatial design with values education, play, creativity, and emotional self-regulation practices. Designed as an inspiring environment for collective growth, it supports children, educators, and families in developing socio-emotional skills, resilience, and overall well-being.

The Hogar Nueva Granada Foundation (HNG) is a private, non-profit organization in Bogotá, Colombia, founded in 2000 by the community of Colegio Nueva Granada. The foundation provides high-quality education, nutrition, health, and wellness services to nearly 400 children and youth from low-income families in vulnerable neighborhoods such as Bosque Calderón and Chapinero Alto.

Safe Place / Magical Place is a collaborative project developed at HNG in partnership with a multidisciplinary team of psychologists, architects, designers, and educators. The main goal of this initiative is to create a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment where students can practice self-regulation and emotional balance.

Drawing on the knowledge and methodology of Fundación PREMA, we designed this “Magical Place” as a space to educate in values, guided by PREMA’s core principles: Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Love, and Non-Violence. These values are creatively interpreted and expressed through different experiential stations such as The Forest, The Garden, The Sky, and The Heart, allowing children to engage emotionally and sensorially with each concept.

The Magical Place at Hogar Nueva Granada is a transformative and playful project that integrates spatial design, values-based education, play, creativity, and emotional self-regulation strategies. Its purpose is to create an inspiring and positive environment where children, teachers, and families grow together—strengthening socio-emotional skills, resilience, and overall well-being.

The ultimate objective is that, through interaction with the space and appropriate guidance, children learn to self-regulate more effectively in their daily activities, empowering them to reach their full potential.

The Magical Place of the Living Heart

They say that deep within Hogar Nueva Granada, there is a place that appears on no map.
A space where nature and emotions live in harmony.

When children cross its doorway, they enter a magical ecosystem where everything breathes in rhythm with their own hearts.

Here, sunshine and rain coexist without conflict, and each station teaches a different way to find peace.

In this world, feelings are not hidden — they are heard, embraced, and transformed.

The creative process

The creative process began with deep listening—observing children’s needs, engaging with educators and psychologists, and understanding the emotional dynamics of the community. Guided by Fundación PREMA’s values-based methodology, we translated core principles into spatial experiences. Through collaborative workshops, conceptual mapping, and iterative design, abstract emotions became tangible environments. Each station was carefully crafted to encourage play, reflection, and self-regulation, resulting in a holistic space where design supports emotional growth and meaningful connection.

The Narrative

  • The Forest of Righteousness



    In the forest, the trees tell ancient stories.
    Each tale teaches the value of standing strong like the trunk and staying flexible like the branches.

    Among whispering leaves, children learn to choose what is right,
    discovering that their inner truth guides them like a compass.

    Here, storytelling becomes a tool to help them understand that every decision has roots and wings.

  • The Nest of Peace


    Up high, among soft branches, lies the nest.
    A warm refuge where silence speaks.

    Here, children wrap themselves in stillness and breathe deeply,
    learning that calm is not found outside,
    but woven within, like an invisible thread.

    Through the practice of silence, they learn to listen with their hearts.

  • The Sky of Love

    Above the forest and the nest stretches the sky.
    A place where music floats like clouds of color.

    Each note vibrates with love, reminding us that to love is to let everything flow.
    Here, children discover that love is like air: unseen, yet holding everything together.

    Through music, the soul opens its wings.

  • The Garden of Truth


    Among flowers and fragrances, the garden blooms with wise words.
    Each quote spoken is like a seed that awakens awareness.

    Children learn that telling the truth is not just about speaking,
    but about growing straight toward the light, like a stem that trusts the sun.

    Through the practice of meaningful quotes, honesty is cultivated in the heart.

  • The Heart of Non-Violence

    And at the center of everything beats a large, luminous heart.
    There, all paths come together.

    Children discover that unconditional love is born from teamwork—
    from helping one another, forgiving, and trying again.

    Like an ecosystem, every emotion has its place.
    Sadness nourishes, joy blossoms, calm sustains.

    Here, they learn that self-regulation is an act of love—
    caring for the life that lives within them.

  • Through thoughtful design and meaningful experiences, we create spaces where emotions are understood, values are lived, and children are empowered to become their best selves.

  • Every child carries a universe inside. When we offer them safe spaces, we help that universe bloom.

  • True transformation begins within — when children learn to self-regulate, connect with others, and live their values every day.

  • When children learn to listen to their hearts, honor their emotions, and care for one another, they don’t just grow — they become light for the world.

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