St Catherine’s Student Centre, Siena College

The St Catherine Centre reimagines the relationship between student services, resources, teaching and learning. It brings these aspects of student life together in a new hub, acknowledging the important role they play in educating the whole person. All students use the Centre – to access Student Reception, the Resource Centre, the Multi-Function Space, Year 12 areas, or Learning Areas.

The new three-storey building connects into an existing three-storey facility. In such a built-up campus, opportunities for reflection and connection to nature are vital. Views are framed from inside out to existing trees, the central courtyard or across the urban landscape. As you move up the main stairs and through the foyers, views are framed into the tree canopies.

Every space in the St Catherine Centre works hard. Operable walls, large sliding doors and retractable seating help spaces easily transform from intimate learning spaces to large gathering spaces. The foyer and circulation spaces are designed to accommodate collaborative or quiet study through moveable furniture, flat screens and writable walls.

The Multi-function Space is a double height space fulfilling multiple roles as a fully functioning Studio Theatre, a lecture theatre with retractable seating, and a function space for the College. As teaching space, the theatre infrastructure can be fully operated by students, including winched grids, theatre lighting and audio-visual. With 200 seats in lecture-format, the space offers students opportunities for public speaking and presentations, and teachers to address year levels and houses or facilitate team teaching.

The first floor houses Year 12 social and study spaces. The second floor contains several general learning spaces which open to each other and the foyer learning spaces via large glazed sliding doors. Both floors are orientated with views back into the campus. The top floor connects into the existing Visual Art and Textile area. A new gallery space doubles as the circulation space into the St Catherine Centre, bringing students and staff past beautiful art works that were previously hidden from view. This is one place where the St Catherine Centre fulfills its role as a place to bring people together and celebrate the journey.