Caloundra Christian College

Resilience, adaptability, collaboration are qualities that will be highly sort after from this new generation of learners. Responding to this, Caloundra Christian College’s new junior school was designed around a play based and collaborative learning framework where importance was placed on both the internal and external learning environments to facilitate learning.

The internal learning spaces vary in scale to create flexibility. The large central area is a community space, where several classes can come together or where children can break out from designated learning areas. The high void fills the space with natural light, plus connects the 2 upper levels of the building visually and physically.

Visibility between spaces is important. Large sliding and bi-folding doors remove physical boundaries between designated learning areas which further aid learning through inquiry, collaboration and discovery. When walls are closed, visibility between spaces is still maintained with the extensive use of glass; connecting spaces while also giving acoustic control between spaces. While the building performs well acoustically, the learning spaces are at times opened up where the noise of busy young learners is gratifying.