Educational Architecture

The Clendon Centre • Architectus • Photographer: Trevor Mein

The Educational Architecture category recognises achievement in the design of any preschool, primary, secondary or tertiary educational facility and/or joint research facilities in which an educational institution is a significant partner.

Meaghan Dwyer FRAIA Jury chair David Islip FRAIA Juror

Gumji Kang RAIA Juror

Jury chair report

The field of projects presented for this award provided evidence of a high level of skill and commitment to design excellence, and a deep appreciation for the rapidly changing place of education in our lives. The jury noted an emphasis on specialised teaching spaces, a particularly unique approach to vocational training, and the impact of economics on the provision of secondary education in regional settings. Not surprisingly there were fewer projects in the higher education sector. We recognised that those architects working within the highly constrained briefs and budgets set by government were particularly challenged, and that many of the projects grappled with scarce resources in one way or another. Some negotiated highly constrained sites to add much needed infrastructure to the campus, while others delivered extraordinary value for money. Most projects gave due consideration to the design of learning and teaching settings and the role of the building on the campus. The best projects conveyed a deep commitment to community through the way that they had been integrated into the fabric of the neighbourhood, and in many cases, configured for shared use by the broader community. Many projects explored equally important lessons in sustainability and reconciliation.

Category sponsor

The Henry Bastow Award for Educational Architecture The Clendon Centre by Architectus

Wurundjeri Country

The Clendon Centre is nestled between several historic buildings on the Loretto Mandeville Hall Campus. It steps out to the street at the point of entry as if reaching out to touch and then sits back in a modulated form that mitigates the scale of the building and settles gently into the residential streetscape. This provides dimension for generous sunken courtyards that bring natural daylight into the classrooms on the upper basement level. The street entry is directly aligned with a second entry from the campus, and in turn the Mandeville Centre, providing intuitive passage across the campus. The interior provides flexible learning and teaching environments, with each yearlevel and their teachers located on a single floor of the building. By all accounts the generous circulation space at the centre of the floorplate has led to greater cohesion among the students. Both architecture and interiors deploy a limited palette of materials to create distinctive built form and calming spaces that are responsive to their context and yet undeniably contemporary. The lower basement car park levels connect with the car park beneath the Mandeville Centre liberating the campus from vehicular movement.

Practice team: John Sprunt (Principal in Charge), Anthony Apolloni (Project Lead), Paulo Sampaio (Design Lead), Alana Fahey (Interior Design Lead), Simon Farr (Technical Lead), Dr Kellee Frith (Education Environments Strategist), Emma Lombardi (Team Member), Thurston Empson (Team Member), Zoe Hughes (Team Member), Holly Hood (Team Member), Ken Waters (Team Member), Andrew Hurd (Team Member), Sarah Ianno (Team Member), Joel Lee (Team Member), Damian Shannon (Team Member), Luke Martelli (Team Member), Imran Syed Hassan (Computer Renderer) Consultant / Construction team: Wallbridge Gilbert Aztec (Structural & Civil Consultant), ADP Consulting (Building Services & ESD Consultant), Urbis (Town Planning Consultant), Oculus (Landscape Architects), Bryce Raworth Conservation & Heritage (Heritage Consultant), Traffix Group (Traffic Consultant), Intuitive Consulting (Fire Safety Engineering), Salus Risk Consulting (Building Management Consultants), VP Building Surveying (Building Surveying Consultant), Acoustic Consulting Australia (Acoustic Consultant), Glowing Structures (Specialist Lighting Consultants), Morris Goding Access Consulting (Access Consultants) Builder: Vaughan Constructions Photographer: Trevor Mein

The Clendon Centre • Architectus • Photographer: Trevor Mein

Award for Educational Architecture Deakin Law School Building by Woods Bagot

Wurundjeri Country

Perched on the northwest edge of Deakin University’s Burwood Campus, Deakin Law School Building by Woods Bagot represents a deft architectural composition of contemporary tertiary learning and teaching spaces. It set out to support Deakin University’s blended learning delivery methods in ever-changing and challenging tertiary teaching and learning environments. Curiously composed extrusions subtly tilt to take advantage of its aspects, and link to various learning spaces, carefully crafted zinc facade detail continuing into the sleek, curvilinear interior. Traversing the building, there are plenty of moments of delight for students to explore and elevate learning experiences across generously spaced formal and informal learning spaces. The planning of the internal learning spaces reflects Deakin’s aspiration in exploring multiple learning and teaching methods, providing ample opportunities for exploring new pedagogical methodologies. Across five levels of learning spaces, the team has provided a range of both conventional and blended digital learning spaces, adapting to shifting learning environments. The building is also placed skilfully within the newly developed Elgar Road Precinct, carefully negotiating multiple levels and approaches around campus, providing a memorable new moment as the first beacon of the precinct.

Practice team: Sarah Ball (Principal in charge), Bruno Mendes (Design principal), Jordon Saunders (Design leader), Brad Holt (Project architect), Bolun Chen (Team member), Clare Debney (Team member), Matt Si (Team member), David Ley (Team member), Fernanda Eusebio (Team member), Stuart Patterson (Team member), Dr Jo Dane (Team member), Albert Fravel (Team member), Caitlin Murray (Team member), Kenneth Chou (Team member) Consultant / Construction team: DCWC (Project Manager), Wilde & Woolard (Quantity Surveyor), Aspect Studio (Landscape Architects (Plaza)), SBLA Studio (Landscape Architects (Wellness Garden)), Integral Group (Building Services), Arup (ESD Consultant), AECOM (Structure, Civil, Facade and Acoustics Engineering), Van Der Meer (Structure (Premier Learning Spaces)), Kinban (Building Surveyor), Architecture and Access (DDA), Cardno (Traffic) Builder: BESIX Watpac Photographer: Peter Bennetts

Award for Educational Architecture Myer Music Centre Melbourne Grammar School by Peter Elliott Architecture + Urban Design

Bunurong Country

The Myer Music Centre at Melbourne Grammar School is an outstanding architectural response to context and site, stitching together two disparate heritage buildings. The brief required the sensitive refurbishment and adaptation of the 1960s Myer Music building by Mockridge Stahle & Mitchell and the former Victorian residence Bromby House, including the construction of a new infill building. Beginning with the Domain streetscape interface, the project creates a generous threshold enhancing the public realm and referencing the materiality, scale and form of the Myer Music building. The new entry is layered through a breezeway corridor connecting the two heritage buildings. The new infill building optimises the site through careful excavation on a tight site, with a bored pier retention design to create two basement level performance studios. Additional spaces include a digital recording studio and music practice rooms. Natural light is optimised through clerestory windows, referential to the butterfly roof of the Myer Music building. Services are subtly integrated within each building, meeting fresh air and acoustic parameters while internal timber panels and flooring add warmth to the interiors. Designed by Peter Elliott Architecture + Urban Design, the new music facility has created a harmonious complex to inspire future generations of students.

Practice team: Peter Elliott (Design Architect), Sean van der Velden (Design Architect), Tim Foster (Project Architect), Daniel Bennetts (Project Architect), Juliet Maxsted (Project Architect), Jude Doyle (Project Architect), Hosna Saleem (Graduate of Architecture), Shigeru Iijima (Project Architect), Geoff Barton (Project Architect) Consultant / Construction team: WSP Irwinconsult (Structural Engineer), WSP Irwinconsult (Civil Consultant), WSP Irwinconsult (Services Consultant), WSP Irwinconsult (ESD Consultant), WSP Irwinconsult (Fire Engineer), Philip Chun (Building Surveyor), Bryce Raworth Pty Ltd (Heritage Consultant), Nicholson Planning & Development (Town Planner), Urban Initiatives (Landscape Consultant), Marshall Day Acoustics (Acoustic Consultant), Marshall Day Entertech (AV Consultant), Slattery Australia (Quantity Surveyor), Maben Group Pty Ltd (Contractor) Builder: Maben Group Pty Ltd Photographer: John Gollings

Monash Robotics Lab by Studio Bright

Country: Bunurong

This modest ground floor fit-out has transformed the experience of the campus. A transparent facade and finely detailed canopy have replaced dull mid-century brickwork and strip windows, to reveal researchers at work with their robots and mark their address. The workspace setting discards enclosed offices and provides instead a hybrid workspace where desk and workshop are combined. It stands far beyond a simple open-plan arrangement and demonstrates a deep appreciation for the unique working rhythm of this group.

Builder: Hutchinson Builders

Photographer: Rory Gardiner

Other entries for Educational Architecture

Shortlisted • Delacombe Stadium • Kosloff Architecture • H Troon Pty Ltd • Wadawurrung Country • Photographer Derek Swalwell

Bendigo TAFE City Campus Revitalisation • Architectus with Six Degrees Architects • Kane Nicholson Joint Venture • Dja Dja Wurrung Country • Photographer Trevor Mein Shortlisted • Victorian Tunnelling Centre • Grimshaw • INTREC • Wurundjeri Country • Photographer Derek Swalwell

Diamond Valley College • Workshop Architecture • United Commercial Projects • Wurundjeri Country • Photographer John Gollings Alatus • fjmtstudio • 2Construct • Bunurong Country • Photographer John Gollings

Froebel Carlton • Silvester Fuller • MPA • Wurundjeri Country • Photographer Shannon McGrath Annie Hughston Centre, Fintona Girls’ School • Lyons • McCorkell Construction Pty Ltd • Wurundjeri Country • Photographer Dianna Snape

Glowrey Catholic Primary School - Stage Two • Baldasso Cortese • FIMMA Constructions Pty Ltd • Wurundjeri Country • Photographer Peter Clarke

Greater Shepparton Secondary College • Gray Puksand • Hansen Yuncken • Yorta Yorta Country • Photographer Anthony McKee

Melton West Primary School • Workshop Architecture • May Constructions • Wurundjeri Country • Photographer John Gollings

Xavier College Manresa • MGS Architects • Ireland Brown Construction • Wurundjeri Country • Photographer Jeremy Wright Haining Farm Campus • Maddison Architects • Melbcon • Wurundjeri Country • Photographer Will Watt

Overnewton Anglican Community College Yirramboi Campus - New Middle School Building • Law Architects • Ireland Brown Constructions • Wurundjeri Country • Photographer Dianna Snape Lilydale Heights College: Sustainability Hub, Town Square and Sports Pavilion • Harrison and White • McCorkell Constructions • Wurundjeri Country • Photographer Rhiannon Slatter

Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School Gymnasium • McBride Charles Ryan • McCorkell Constructions • Wurundjeri Country • Photographer John Gollings McKinnon Secondary College Gymnasium • H2o Architects • Jointly • Bunurong Country • Photographer John Gollings

St Francis Xavier College GPFLA Officer • Bellemo & Cat • Harris HMC Construction Pty. Ltd. • Bunurong Country • Photographer Dianna Snape

The Clendon Centre • Architectus • Photographer: Trevor Mein