Hayball’s Cumberland Building Named Finalist for Prestigious 2025 MacConnell Award
30 Jun 2025
We’re proud to share that a standout project from our region is receiving international recognition.
Hayball’s Cumberland Building at Aitken College, Melbourne - 2024 Learning Environments Australasia Design (LEAD) Overall Winner and Category 3: New Building/s winner - has been named a Finalist for the 2025 James D. MacConnell Award, presented by the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE).
This globally respected award celebrates comprehensive planning and design processes that result in exceptional student-centered learning environments. The winner will be announced at the 2025 LearningSCAPES conference, held this year in Phoenix, Arizona (US) from 29 October to 1 November.
About the Project
Located in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, the Cumberland Building is the first initiative delivered under Aitken College’s Masterplan. The facility serves Junior School students in Years 3 - 6 and supports a variety of learning modalities - collaborative, independent, and play-based - reflecting the school’s pedagogical vision.
Key features include
- Learning neighbourhoods for 270 students, each consisting of three home bases arranged around a shared common
- A Junior School Administration hub and specialist spaces for Art, Technology and Performing Arts
- A striking central gallery with a flexible timber wall for exhibitions, gatherings, and student presentations
- Seamless connections between indoor and covered outdoor learning areas, encouraging play and exploration through window seats, climbing zones, rope platforms, and more
- Integration of sustainable design, including solar panels, cross-ventilation, and a building management system that also functions as a learning tool
This thoughtful and future-focused facility puts learners first and fosters diverse, inclusive, and adaptable educational experiences - values that are central to both Learning Environments Australasia and A4LE.
A Global Spotlight on Local Excellence
Being named a finalist for the James D. MacConnell Award is a rare honour, with only a handful of projects from around the world selected. It recognises Hayball’s exceptional alignment of learning and place, as well as its commitment to designing with the needs of students, teachers, and community at the core.
Congratulations to Hayball and Aitken College on this international recognition - we are cheering you on as the 2025 LearningSCAPES conference approaches!
