Location McKinnon, Melbourne VIC
Project Completion 2015
Project Size 1,700m2
Project Description The McKinnon Library Hub represents a new outreach pedagogical model for Department of Education schools. It combines traditional storage/retrieval and resource library functions with teaching and breakout areas; formal and informal, internal and external, to create a new learning and social hub in the centre of the campus. Providing local community access extends the outreach concept to the general public, in this highly sought after Melbourne school zone.
The sustainable design features locally manufactured and fabricated precast panels, and sensuously and practically folded zinc cladding profiled to create fascias, down pipe housings, window reveals and low level seating for pupils.
Materials were chosen to meet low budgets, and to facilitate speed of erection and constructability constraints. Inset timber slat graffiti planks in the precast slabs are inspired by traditional African village Cray pot timber structures, crudely mud covered and white washed; often revealing the timber sub structure beneath. These carry building identification and extracts from the School’s philosophical charter.
