Mickleham Secondary College Stage 1
Mickleham Secondary College Stage 1
Client:
Victorian School Building Authority
Location:
Mickleham
Floor Area:
6500 sqm for Stage 1, 8800 sqm total
Project Value:
$42m
Contact Person:
Mark van den Enden
Our design team worked with the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) to create a contemporary learning environment at Mickleham Secondary College, located in a fast-growing suburb on Melbourne’s northern fringes.
Welcoming and inclusive to cater to a wide range of students, the new buildings and spaces will help meet the current and future needs of the wider community.
Stage 1 of the project incorporated five new buildings: three learning ‘neighbourhoods’ for science, technology and general educational use, plus a community hub and an administration building housing a new school library and offices. The community hub includes a competition-grade basketball/netball court, canteen, and music, drama and food technology teaching spaces.
Stage 2 will include two new buildings – one a general learning neighbourhood and the other dedicated to the arts.
“Teachers love the learning building the most – and it’s where most classes are held. It’s really well laid-out and easy to use.”
Lian Davies, Principal, Mickleham Secondary College
Flexible buildings and spaces for every need
The learning buildings each contain eight learning areas – known as learning bases – along with two small meeting rooms, two presentation spaces, staff workspaces, and student toilets, all opening onto a central informal learning zone housing two practical activities areas.
Operable walls between the two pairs of general learning areas give the school the flexibility to create two double spaces that will facilitate collaboration between two class groups, independent of other learning activities.
In two general learning areas, operable walls can also be used to subdivide into four seminar spaces. This gives the school greater timetabling flexibility, allowing the spaces to be used by two smaller groups – a common need for senior electives.
Student toilets are accessible from both inside and outside the building, and the facilities can be separately secured to limit accessibility during lunch and recess periods.
Standardised, streamlined construction
Each new building type supports the Government’s key education principles. This approach helps standardise and streamline construction but still creates flexible architectural ‘envelopes’ that can be shaped to suit specific education plans.
Connection to the natural environment is also a key, recognising the important role it plays in student and staff wellbeing.
In its first year of operation in 2023, the school was able to enroll up to 800 students in Year 7. After phasing in successive year levels, the school will eventually accommodate 1,200 students.
A virtual tour of the new buildings and outdoor spaces is available on the Mickleham Secondary College website.
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Client:
Victorian School Building Authority
Location:
Mickleham
Floor Area:
6500 sqm for Stage 1, 8800 sqm total
Project Value:
$42m
Contact Person:
Mark van den Enden
Key People
Mark van den Enden
Principal
Group Director Communities
Melbourne
Kate McKenzie-McHarg
Senior Associate
Melbourne
Matthew Spinaze
Senior Associate
Melbourne
Dr Kellee Frith
Associate Principal
Education Environments Strategist
Melbourne
