St Stephen's School

Narratives

Architect Narrative

The campus was conceived as a ’school in a park’. Classroom blocks are grouped together in clusters around covered open space maximising the balance of open space on the site. As much care has been devoted to external spaces as to interiors. Open space has been modeled into smaller and larger play areas each with a landscape theme.

Much of the existing vegetation, including locally significant species, were retained. Buildings are placed along existing contours and orientated towards summer breezes and winter sun. Two major pathways through the site provide access to all facilities. The paths meet between the administration and Covered area at the Welcome Court which is the notional gateway to the school.

Classroom blocks are simple structures but each cluster is distinguished by an iconic building housing a multipurpose room for each cluster. When completed in future stages these playful forms will provide interesting navigation points on the site. Large central facilities such as the Covered Area and Administration Centre act as major landmarks for the campus and the neighbouring area. The Administration Centre incorporates a library in stage 1.

The classrooms are clustered around the external multipurpose area which contains wet areas, amenities and other facilities. Classrooms have good vision and access to this space. A spare classroom is located at one end of each cluster, each with a special education theme. The first of these has been built as a junior years technology centre (JYTC).

The classrooms are designed specifically to maintain thermal comfort through natural means. Through the testing of the design at early stages by thermal modeling studies which relate specifically to the occupancy and time of use of the buildings, the design incorporates important elements to regulate thermal load. Stormwater is collected and retained on site via rainwater tanks and a bioswale system, which also filters collected stormwater before it is discharged to a local wetland. These initatives have an educational, as well as environmental function.

A Learning Community

A growing new school, located in an older established neighbourhood, which currently caters for children in Preschool — Year 5. The architect’s vision of a “school in a park” has come to fruition because the school was sited on the well worn tracks of established community walking routes through adjacent parklands, situated along a creek bed. Access through the school, out of school hours, provides a shortcut for local residents from neighbourhood housing to and from the park. Consequently, we feel the children benefit from very tangible community/school links.

In addition to the human community, there are well established remnant forest trees on and adjacent to the site and as a consequence there are also vibrant bird, amphibian and reptile communities. Bird calls range from the raucous white cockatoo to the melodious willy wagtail. This is the environment in which we try to deliver a balanced and accessible curriculum and a “hope-filled vision for the future.’

The vibrancy of the school’s architecture, with its colours, multiplicity of spaces in and between classrooms and attention to passive cooling design features, provides an innovative and comfortable environment for learning. The heat and humidity of a Queensland summer can be stifling! Yet, the classrooms remain comfortable, even on the hottest days.

We aim to provide a holistic curriculum using a constructivist approach based on developing the roles of lifelong learners. Integrated as part of this approach is the unique opportunity to emphasise hands-on learning through a focus on curriculum that is inquiry based. This opportunity is enhanced now that our new Junior Years Technology Centre (JYTC) has been constructed. We understand that this new facility is the first such dedicated building for learning and teaching about technological literacy in our Queensland Catholic school system. Within this learning space, opportunities are designed for students to gain from planned experiences in the areas of science, design technology, art and drama, food technology and media. The aim is to not only fit students for the “knowledge economy” but help them become creative members of society “constructing a better world.”

We acknowledge the importance of social justice and equity and believe that these values also apply to the delivery of curriculum, as individuals have different learning styles and strengths. At the school, teachers integrate the KLAs of Technology, Science and The Study of Society. Opportunities for children to design and create, using a variety of materials and tools lead to the development of literacy within these KLAs and cater for those who learn by doing. In these units of work, the learning process is centred on the plans, functions, applications and effectiveness of the design product.

As our students move into the middle years of elementary school, the JYTC will be a valuable resource as it offers the capability to extend students’ exploration in Technology within an integrated, flexible and dynamic curriculum. The architects have done an excellent job in expressing the uniqueness of the Key Learning Area (KLA) of Technology through the design of the building, as it is a hub for exploring design technologies. THe structural frame of the building is expsoed and brightly painted, and some services are visible. The whole space is wrapped in a metal sandwhich panel cladding.

The implementation of the master plan for the school, incorporating the JYTC, has led to the creation of an environment that enhances quality teaching and learning to the benefit of the children in our care.