St Brendan’s Primary School Expansion

St Brendan’s was briefed as a school capital works project of university quality. The K–6 campus was a collection of detached buildings dating from the 1950s to 2010. Rather than replace them, the design keeps each one, extends its footprint and adds new interstitial spaces that tie them together.

Classrooms were reworked into contemporary learning settings. A continuous spine runs through the school and wraps the central playground, linking Stages 1 to 3, and movable walls and doors let each space open up or close down as the lesson needs.

Every stage has places for different ways of learning – campfires, caves and watering holes – with technology walls and magnetic glass whiteboards throughout.

To the street, a new façade of bronze fins draws the buildings into one composition and gives the school a clear identity. The old fence made way for an open forecourt and foyer that welcome families in.