Innovative learning spaces expand the minds of young Victorians and are a key part of what makes us the Education State – with the year’s best new school designs recognised at the Victorian School Design Awards.
Minister for Education Ben Carroll congratulated the five winners of this year’s awards at the ceremony at the State Library of Victoria – also presenting the Minister’s Award for overall design excellence.
Clifton Creek Primary School’s new campus offering students a fabulous place to learn has taken out the Minister’s award – and also Best School Project – Below $5 Million award – for designer AOA Christopher Peck.
The school was significantly damaged in the East Gippsland bushfires of 2020 and was rebuilt under a $4.2 million Allan Labor Government investment, including a new kitchen and sensory gardens, a new bus shelter and new spaces for community use.
The design was commended for harnessing a sense of renewal and history, retaining features such as the original school bell and imprinting local Gunaikurnai designs into the facilities.
AOA Christopher Peck also took out the Best New Kindergarten or Early Learning Centre award for the Pinewood Child and Family Hub. The $2 million project created an integrated children’s centre with Monash City Council, delivering 36 extra kindergarten places in a natural parkland setting to help local children learn and thrive in nature.
Kerstin Thompson Architects won the Best School Project – Between $5 Million and $10 Million award for transforming an old gym into a design and technology hub at Dandenong High School. The $8.46 million project included new STEM and food technology facilities and a canteen, helping broaden students’ study and recreation options.
Brand Architects won the Best School Project – Above $10 Million category for the Centre for Higher Education Studies (CHES) in South Yarra. The $39.5 million project delivered a multi-storey learning environment for the state’s high-achieving and high-ability senior secondary school students to take their learning further.
The judges described it as an inspiring place for learning and teaching with a large amount of natural light and landscaping – all the more impressive with the site located between high-rise buildings.
In the past nine years, the Allan Labor Government has invested more than $14.9 billion to build new schools and deliver more than 1,940 school upgrades.
As stated by Minister for Education Ben Carroll
“Congratulations to all the winners and finalists of this year’s Victorian School Design Awards. You’re an integral part of our nation-leading education construction boom – proving why we are the Education State.”
“These projects recognise the very best architectural design and deliver cutting-edge modern learning spaces and facilities for students at Victorian government schools to learn and thrive.”
