Providing a dynamic community for students, Geelong College’s award-winning Junior School has been designed with the surrounding environment front of mind.

Designed by John Wardle Architects, the project draws inspiration from the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy, which considers the environment to be “the third teacher”.

The new Junior School buildings are shaped to provide the best amenity and outlook for students and staff. The “zig-zag” formation allows southern light into all learning environments, promoting natural cross-ventilation of spaces and offering expansive views across the playing fields.

With contemporary teaching methodologies guiding the design of the new spaces, the existing standalone classroom pavilions were thoughtfully repurposed into music/drama studios and a new multi-purpose room.

Credit image: N Dunn Media

Credit image: N Dunn Media

To ensure exceptional indoor comfort for students while minimising energy consumption, our team designed a mixed mode ventilation system comprising high efficiency heat recovery and air-conditioning systems.

The building also utilises a solar array to offset a large portion of its carbon footprint.

Roof drainage is captured and re-used for both irrigation and toilet flushing, which not only allows building managers to readily measure the performance of the building but also increases the overall sustainability of the school.