Calamvale Community College

Narratives

Architect Narrative

DESIGN AND PLANNING CRITERIA

a) Enhanced Learning

The school is one of a small number of Pre-school to Year 12 state facilities opening for the first time in 2002. The site was an extension of an existing school using both acquired land and an existing Local Authority sports oval. The project was unique in that it required the construction of a new school and the demolition of an existing facility.The vision of the project was to develop an innovative and progressive P-12 school, which promoted the forging of learning links and partnerships with the wider community. The school’s focus is to provide a “flexible, interdisciplinary, whole child-oriented curriculum” for the whole of the child’s school experience from Pre-school to leaving. The seamless P-12 curriculum promotes New Basics (education which has relevance to real life experiences) and project-based learning. The planning of the school promoted this philosophy by the integration of technology and the design of adaptable, flexible work-spaces. Classrooms are designed to be closely integrated with practical learning spaces whilst teacher preparation rooms are central to the classroom “pods” to aid supervision.

b)Community Centre

The aim of the school is to serve the local community on a broad base. The accessing of other government agencies including Families, Youth & Community Care, Health and Police augments the learning experiences for students and also provides a range of support services. The Student Services building provides the facility for these functions.Community group partnerships include the formation of a P and C Association and a sporting association body to coordinate the development and use by community groups of sporting facilities within the school. Within the first year of opening, Little Athletics, Tennis and AFL clubs have become partners in the use of the sporting facilities. The Sports fields and Oval are to be excised back to the Local Authority under a Joint Usage Management agreement.Provision has been made in the site Master Plan for a future childcare facility, which will be developed by interested external groups. There is community access to other facilities such as the Library and there will be access to the Performing Arts Complex, School Hall and Canteen after construction of Stage 2. Ample parking has been provided in the master plan for community usage.

c)Involvement of Stakeholders

The design of the school was a co-operative process between the existing school staff, Government Education Authority Facilities staff, Local Authority representatives, parents and students. The requirements of the Local Authority’s Local Area plan were reflected in the site master planning, as the school development involved the design and documentation of a public road and provision of joint usage sports ovals. The new School Principal and some key staff were appointed at an early stage in the briefing process and together with the wider school community had a major input into the design. A design workshop early in the planning process involved the local community and other non-education Government Agencies in the formulation of the concept Master Plan. Public meetings were held during the later planning and documentation stages to incorporate specific community requirements. A process of design decision making involving the existing staff at the school proved invaluable in ensuring that the design met particular brief requirements.

d) Health, Safety and Security

The organisation of five sub-school precincts; junior, middle, senior, sporting and community, promotes the concept of teams within teams, achieving the vision of ‘small is good’ and allowing individuals to identify with a particular group. This concept permeates the school at a number of levels extending down to small teams of teachers planning together and working extensively with a group of students. Students of all ages identify with their home base teaching area and buildings have a domestic scale to create a home from home environment. The planning of the teaching “pods” promotes easy supervision by staff and the Pod groupings around central courtyard play spaces creates a safe, secure environment particularly for the younger students. Passive ventilation is maximised through large sliding windows in the classrooms and high-level louvres windows in the central staff preparation areas. All spaces have natural light, whilst sunshading prevents direct sun penetration and glare — important in a sub-tropical climate. Electronic security is provided to all buildings.

e) Resources

Cost planning of the school design was progressively assessed against previous Education Facilities benchmarks. A Value Management study during the Developed Design stage identified possible cost savings ensuring that the tender sum was within budget. Similarity of design and detailing between buildings simplified construction and reduced costs. Applied finishes were minimised, yet variety and colour maximised by the extensive use of coloured and textured blockwork.

f) Flexibility and Adaptability to Change

The flexible “pod” design supports current trends in learning with operable walls which allow different groupings of students to occur efficiently throughout the day. Each team of 4 to 5 staff members and up to 120 multi-age students can easily adapt the pod to meet the structural needs of the student focused learning experiences. Supporting the philosophy of ‘different learning spaces for different activities’, the pod design caters for outside learning with spaces which flow out onto covered practical teaching areas suited to a sub-tropical climate. Technology is embedded as part of all learning and computers are spread throughout the podsThe Middle School “Environmental Centre” practical classroom spaces are designed to promote the focus on “design, make and appraise” learning. The Centre’s state of the art design supports the Middle School’s educational philosophy of integrated learning. These multi-purpose rooms contain Technology, Home Economics, Art and Science facilities allowing students to engage in real life learning experiences rather than learning in discrete disciplines. Preparation areas and project storage facilities are easily accessible and immediately adjacent to the learning areas.Multiple Data and Power outlets in all buildings allow for future expansion of technology. Power has also been provided at high level to allow for possible future “wire” less data transmission.