New school building design celebrated

Designed specifically for the critical middle years of schooling, Carey Grammar’s Centre for Creativity & Collaboration has been shortlisted for the Victorian Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) Awards. 

The Victorian Architecture Awards recognise best practice in the field and inspire others to positively shape communities through architecture.  

Carey Grammar’s middle school leaders, students, and teachers collaborated with our team on a comprehensive Education Design Brief that responded to their specific needs.  

The brief described six interconnected learning precincts, each a physical expression of the subject it hosts, and the learning experiences and resources students and teachers can expect to find there. Each precinct is composed of a wide variety of purposeful learning settings and clearly articulated circulation paths. 

“The middle years are critical years around which enormous growth and development take place,” said David Dannock, Carey’s Business Director.  

“Motivation and engagement are crucial and are hugely influenced by schools tailoring their approaches to teaching, developing flexible and multipurpose learning spaces, and providing aesthetic environments. 

“We aim to create an environment where students experience belonging and a sense of safety and security to give them confidence to take risks with their learning.” 

The building’s highly transparent, floating upper volume is anchored by a series of sculptural concrete elements. Visually and spatially timeless, it sits comfortably in an ever-adapting campus of eclectic architectural styles and forms, seamlessly fulfilling the day to day needs of students and teachers. 

Congratulations to all the teams behind the shortlisted projects. 

The awards will be presented on 16 June. Learn more about the program here.