St Edwards Christian Brother’s College

Key to pmdl securing the commission for this prominent project for St Edwards College was an initial concept that went beyond simply accommodating the College ‘s education and facilities brief to considering what value the solution could offer the wider campus. The initial brief called for the replacement of the existing library, located centrally within the campus, with a larger contemporary learning environment as well as performing arts facilities, including music, drama and a theatre.

The sloping site provided the opportunity to design a building over 4 levels that, nestled into the slope, was in keeping with the scale of the surrounding context. The solution is a building, completed within time and budget, that provides a greater range and area of accommodation than initially envisaged, key connections to existing outdoor spaces, reinforcement of main circulation routes and generous civic space at multiple levels for gathering, play and extension of the learning.

With no requirement for natural light the music and drama facilities and theatre are buried in the ground, providing the opportunity above ground to relocate staff and a cafeteria into the facility, aptly referred to as the learning hub. This is a place where teachers are visible and accessible to the student and collaboration between all user groups is promoted. The open plan staff study encourages cross pollination between departments and supports the change in pedagogical approach.

The pinnacle of the development, the library resource centre, is optimally located at the top of the facility with expansive views of the coast and key connections to the upper levels of the existing campus and the new internal street. This is a centre for contemporary learning where the College has pushed the boundaries of its conventional teaching spaces to create a dynamic learning environment with a range of opportunities for collaborative and self directed activities.

The new facilities reflect the shift from teacher-focused to student-centred learning. The College ‘s belief is that their students needed to be 21st century learners who would reframe literacy with an emphasis on sharing and producing information in participatory digital environments. The design of collaborative learning zones has fostered dialogue between teachers with evidence of a pedagogical shift where teacher expertise is shared promoting collaborative learning partnerships with a focus on learning.