Architect:
McIldowe Partners
Client:
The Peninsula School
Location:
Mt Eliza, Victoria
Completion:
March 2014
Construction of the Zammit Centre, a new purpose building to accommodate core learning spaces for Senior VCE students.
Peninsula is an open entry school with approximately 1400 students from Kindergarten to Year 12, catering for day and boarding students.
In an effort to bridge the gap between school and university, the building models a tertiary environment with 20 state-of-the art classrooms equipped with the latest technology, multiple break-out spaces for informal discussion and a 250 seat cafeteria designed to promote staff-student interaction. In light of the school’s commitment to positive psychology and student wellbeing, the new building is sited on the banks of its North oval, adjacent to the senior gymnasium and swimming pool, and overlooks the athletics track. Bay views add to the ambience to be enjoyed by the school’s senior students.
The Senior Centre includes the following features:
- A facility that promotes collaboration and fosters a community spirit
- A sustainable building that is cognisant of the environment
- An inspirational setting in which best practice in all areas is abound
- Tertiary pedagogy model for collaborative learning environments
- 20 learning studios designed based on a variety of spaces for broadened subject selection and non-directional , collaborative learning styles
The new facades are visually striking. Two storey curtain walls are dotted at either end of the building along the West elevation. Fitted with modern Viridian ComfortPlus laminated glass, the new curtain walls offer transparency and high performance solar control with low reflection. It incorporates a solar control component that in summer reduces the sun’s heating, glare and UV fading of interior furnishings. In winter, the ComfortPlus coating provides thermal insulation and reduces heat loss through the glass by over 30% when compared to standard glass, without heavy tinting or reflective mirror-like coatings that reduce natural light.