The project at St Augustine's Primray School comprised an entire re-orientation of the existing school site.

 

The existing east side entry to the school from Napier St was inaccessible and unsuitable. A new entry was created to the West of the school site, with the new entry, administration area and classroom now entered at grade from Church St. This opened up the important vista connecting the heritage listed 1900 school hall with the adjacent church and mountain. 

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Brick piers welcome visitors to the school. The colonnade has various motifs in the brickwork referencing the potato farms around Creswick, a stylised tree, text representing the learning at the school and an abstract shape drawn by then grade 2 student, Oliver, representing his vision for the new buildings. 

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The colonnade continues as the main circulation spine through the school and is used to create seating and study nooks that look back to the historic school hall.

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A refurbishment of the existing school hall removed an overshadowing internal mezzanine and disconnected spaces to create light filled junior learning areas. 

 

The dark bricks create the required warmth and reference the historic red brick school hall with contemporary detailing. The lighter brick pavers enhance the earthy ground plane spanning each side of the glass and tie the external columns to the interior finishes. The west-east corridor faces north with sunny patches flooding the nooks that students have adopted for study and play.