Trinity Grammar Library Tour – another perspective

The recent CEFPI sponsored tour of the Tudor Centre at Trinity Grammar Kew provided members with a terrific opportunity to view a contemporary approach to new-age library design.

The “old days” of working at a standard student desk in a sterile and stark reading room environment with the librarian reminding students to “shhh” are long gone – thankfully.

Trinity’s new facility has moved decades away from the former approach and was a most welcome and exciting treat for us to be able to inspect and enjoy.

The multi-level ramped and mezzanine type style to the facility gave the visitor a sense of curiosity and excitement. The many nooks, booths and student work spaces featured heavily in each corner or bend you took which would be most attractive to the student cohort today, noting that this micro-study approach is most evident across today’s school learning generation.

We were also attracted to the design approach of placing staff and administration spaces to one side, whilst the main student area was central to the facility space. The ability to suspend or present creative theme based displays was a strong element of the main area.

The side lit main bookcases were a simple but elegant choice, whilst the circular window reading seats and similar referenced glazing to class spaces completed a consistent trend across the facility.

One had to be excited by the two-way / one end stair to the Year 11 classroom area. The open plan and glass study doors enforced the design approach that signals clearly to student and teacher that the space is about openness, flexibility, transparency and community.

The relationship with Melbourne University and the rooftop garden has wonderful potential for the Trinity students and will be a great initiative that attracts a lot of attention from other schools.

We were fascinated to learn of the sustainable infrastructure in place to control the climate in the new building. No doubt as Trinity learns from the innovative system many schools will be keen to introduce similar initiatives.

It was a terrific opportunity to visit this new Centre. One always learns at least one thing from school visits. In this case, the notebook and camera were full of new and positive ideas to consider in the future.

Mark Glover, Business Manager from Genazzano FCJ College

CEFPI Member