Merbein College P-10

2012 | Merbein, Victoria, Australia | Education

Gatherings and retreats

With the merging of four schools as one, the design challenge for Merbein College P-10’s campus is not so much about accommodating 750 primary and secondary students under one roof as it is uniting them as one collegiate community.

Image
Image

Friendship and connectedness were the two words that surfaced repeatedly in our conversations with staff, students and parents during our pre-design workshops.

Image
Left Image
Right Image

We arrived at the metaphor of a savannah watering hole, letting its spatial qualities of gathering, protection, and sharing translate into social ones.

The spaces are oases of flexible, indoor-outdoor learning environments. A variety of outdoor breakout spaces is provided while always allowing retreats to the safety and security of more enclosed, cosier environments.

Outside, grassed stretches connect sport fields and play sets. Surrounding single-storey buildings form low horizons, letting large expanses of blue Australian skies offer a sense of freedom even in these safe zones.

image
image
image

Related Projects

Sign up to our newsletter