Northern School for Autism

A school for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder who have a range of ages, learning skills and behaviour. The design creates subschools around a courtyard with all learning areas connecting directly outside and obtaining north sun due to the unique shape and cut roofs. The building dramatically reflects the brief.

Project Details

Architects
Paul Hede – Director Hede Architects Pty Ltd

Award
Winner Category 1: New Construction Entire New School

Address
8 Shapiro Court Reservoir, Victoria 3073 Australia

Submitter
Paul Hede

Cost
$11,765,000 Total Contract Value

Photographer
Fotograffiti – John Brash

Project Overview

Applicant Narrative:
This project groups student learning spaces around a central courtyard, providing individual access direct to play for all learning areas. Cut roof edging allows north sun penetration to all rooms plus covered outdoor learning space. Learning areas are assembled around strong curved circulation routes that are purposely non- interactive with learning areas to reduce distractions. These routes are defined in the building for students to understand. The building applies the cut edging to the staff/admin areas facing south, enabling staff spaces to be enjoyed as individual spaces. The building provides an integrated connected group of subschools in a community yet gives all student learning an individual controlled outlook breaking the learning down to calm, small group spaces for 6-8 students. The design contrasts the perimeter edging to the inner arteries creating a living form.

School Narrative:
Paul listened to the leadership team to incorporate the needs of the school into the design. He produced a building which would support the children self- regulate and manage their behaviour. Every classroom has a quite work room, a discreet outdoor courtyard, a kitchenette and generous storage . The classrooms are all light and naturally bright, which enables teachers to minimize the use of fluorescent lights. The whole school is decorated in earthy, natural tones to accommodate the needs of children who have sensitivity to colour. There is an entire therapy wing for children to access speech, occupational, music and play therapy programs. Playgrounds are inviting but discreet so that only a small number of children are playing together at any one time, enabling teachers to easily supervise and support students. The design of the playground offers generous bike paths as bike education is a core program, as well as a variety play equipment. The specialist wing provid es purpose built spaces for PE, cooking, art and library.

The school has certainly surpassed all expectations. It has every inclusion NSA requested and according to staff is ‘so easy to teach in.’ The school is able to offer the breadth of curriculum the children require, in occupationally safe, as well as richly inviting, learning spaces.

Juries Comment

“The Northern School for Autism in Victoria deserves this award because it is a successful and distinctive solution to the challenge of providing an environment for individualised learning from reception to year 12 for students with autism. Such students have all too often in the past failed to succeed in school environments. This design, which has been well received by its host community as well as those who use it every day, makes full use of internal and external spaces for individualised learning. The design responds to a specialised brief arrived at after extensive consultation. It is truly innovative and ground-breaking.

Congratulations to Hede Achitects and the Northern School for Autism.”