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VSBA New Schools 2026

VSBA New Schools 2026

Client:
Victorian School Building Authority

Location:
Victoria




Contact Person:
Mark van den Enden

Our Education team is leading the architecture and urban design work for five new public schools set to serve Victoria’s growing communities in 2026.

Part of the New Schools 2026 bundle of work, the projects are the latest collaboration between the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) and Architectus.

Victoria is home to around half of the new government schools being built across Australia.

The four primary and one secondary school sites span Melbourne’s growth areas, from the northern reaches of the city to the southeastern and southwestern suburbs. Together, they will have the capacity to support more than 3,600 long term enrolments.

Designed for a wide variety of needs

These vibrant, contemporary new environments will be designed to meet a range of teaching, learning and community needs.

The schools (all interim names only) are Ballarto Road Primary School, Mickleham South Primary School, Warralily Park Primary School, Wollert Andrews Road Primary School and Clyde Creek North Secondary School.

As part of the Victorian Government’s ‘Best start, Best life’ reforms, the primary schools at Mickleham South and Wollert Andrews Road will incorporate government-owned and operated Early Learning and Childcare Centres for children from infancy up to 4-year-old kinder.

The primary schools at Ballarto Road and Warralily Park will both include a co-located 3- and 4-year old kindergarten. An approved, not-for-profit organisation with experience in kindergartens will be appointed to run these services at the schools.

Inspired by a ‘letter to Country’

Our design narrative for the 2026 schools revolves around a ‘letter to Country’, which imagines each site as ‘an all encompassing learning landscape’.

The letter was informed by our journey through the design process with cultural advisor and Ngunnawal woman Kat Rodwell. Kat supported engagement with the Traditional Owners of the land on which these schools and kindergartens stand, including Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, and Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation.

The letter sets the tone for architecture that engages with the pre-colonial landscape and context of each site, builds on lessons learned from legacy projects, and creates a place for future generations to learn and grow together.

Our design solutions will bring in plenty of natural light balanced with strategic shading, allow for good cross-ventilation, connect with the landscape, and create cosy corners across each site.

The material selections in both the landscape and built form seek to balance the robustness required for schools with selections such as brick and corrugated steel. These are coupled with the warmth of timber, recycled rubber flooring, and wood wool ceiling panels.

The interior design concept aligns with our architectural approach, offering views up and out to ‘sky country’ and drawing on a colour palette inspired by the landmarks, flora and fauna of each region.

 

Our consultants on the project are Slattery (cost manager), Johnstaff (project manager), Formium (landscape architecture), Matter (structural engineering), LCI (building services), MCG (civil, waste and traffic engineering), CODUS (building surveyor), Octave (acoustics), Morris Goding + Associates (DDA), Salus (risk and BAL assessment), Agilus (bushfire consultancy services), WSP (fire safety engineering – bushfire), Engineering Folk (independent structural certification), Balert Mura (cultural heritage), Urbis (town planning). 

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Client:
Victorian School Building Authority

Location:
Victoria




Contact Person:
Mark van den Enden