With outdated facilities and a growing student population, South Yarra Primary School needed a new learning centre that would promote collaborative learning and support and facilitate its current and future pedagogical approach.

Seamlessly connected to the historic Art Deco entrance building, the new three-storey learning centre’s architectural forms, shapes and textures draw inspiration from the school’s different historic structures. Inside, a new reception area welcomes visitors, while new office and administration spaces provide staff with modern amenities. 

Twelve contemporary learning environments over three levels provide flexible, interconnected spaces that encourage collaborative learning and allow students to work creatively as individuals, in small groups, or whole classes. The second floor’s spatial arrangement, configuration and operable walls allow the area to be transformed into a large open space for whole-school assemblies and community functions. Outside, an expansive deck provides opportunities for environmental, horticultural and other learning experiences.

Specialised modular design construction allowed the project’s time constraints, site limitations, and location on busy Punt Road to be effectively managed and overcome, with the school remaining open throughout construction and the project completed in less than 10 months from inception. 

Awarded the 2020 Victorian School Design Award, at the time of completion, the learning centre was one of the largest and most complex modular building projects ever undertaken by the Victorian Education Department at the time.