McKinnon Secondary College Senior Centre
Location Melbourne, VIC
Project Completion 2018
Project Size 3,200m2
Project Description With a population of over 2000 students and 300 staff, a School campus densely occupied, the project brief includes the demolition of 2 outdated single level buildings and the design a new 3 storeys facility to accommodate existing and future teaching needs. The Senior Centre is strategically placed at the heart of the campus with the objective to reorganise and rationalise the school’s built environment.
The new senior centre provide a myriad of new spaces for the school, including:
• 4 Science, Physics and Chemistry Labs
• “Active” circulation/informal learning concourses
• Year 12 indoor study centre, including an extensive outdoor North facing decked area
• Year 11 study area
• 20 new classrooms
• Administration offices
• Wellbeing centre and meditation room
• Change room facilities and amenities
• Dedicated locker spaces
The building design relies on robust, self-finished materials to suit the heavy duty use dictated by a high school environment both internally and externally. These same materials have proven cost-effective during construction and will require limited future maintenance, as the public nature of the facility demands. Exposed concrete floors and pre-cast panels characterize the main horizontal and vertical circulation areas, together with the East and West external façades. A mix of Brick angular dado walls, galvanized mini-orb metal cladding and cement sheets compose the North and South facades. The use of timber and ply for door entry alcoves, joinery units, external seating and canopies counterpoints the materials palette with warmth and colour.
