Thomas Hassell Anglican College ’Anne Marsden School of Possibilities’

Stanton Dahl Architects were commissioned by the Sydney Anglican Schools Corporation to design a new multi purpose secondary school building for Thomas Hassall Anglican College, to address the College ‘s specific educational objectives. The school ‘s master plan also required review and revision as a part of this process to ensure that it not only accommodated the needs of a growing school but was also able to accommodate the schools educational goals.

Following a thorough consultation process with the school community, the brief called for a new building with spaces which would be adaptable and collaborative in nature to accommodate a range of teaching and learning spaces.
The lower level of the building houses the school ‘s Senior Library, Study Centre, Media Lab and IT help desk. This space is aimed at preparing students for ‘life after school ‘, by encouraging self-directed learning using electronic tools and resources, within a team environment. The upper level is primarily for Middle Years HSIE and other learning areas. Staff have reported that the space has ‘enhanced ‘ their teaching style, and has enabled them to implement a more effective pedagogy and in particular, interdisciplinary team teaching.

The physical challenges of the building were addressed in conjunction with the College ‘s environmental goals of sustainability. The visible ESD elements also contribute to the educational value of the building, and the use of various and vibrant building materials and architectural features provide an element of excitement to increase enjoyment of the building and thereby contribute toward the motivation of both students and staff

The school has reported that students and staff alike are very enthusiastic about the new spaces, and the students in particular enjoy the light, flexibility and fun furniture combinations, which include white board surfaces on walls and tables. As the students have learnt to use the space, the school has noticed greater collaboration through increased group work as well as improved learning outcomes.

The design of the new facility has been found to meet its educational specification by encouraging a range of teaching and learning styles that are both collaborative for staff and students and supports the pedagogy of enquiry-based learning.