Catholic Education SA engaged DesignInc Adelaide to transform three existing buildings on the Holy Family Catholic School campus into a new early learning centre.
This charming early learning centre, co-located at Holy Family Catholic School, is an adaptive reuse of an existing classroom block that creates a welcoming, light-filled space for pre-schoolers.
The adaptive reuse of the school buildings posed a challenge for creating a cohesive, contemporary environment suitable for early learning.
DesignInc utilised the characteristics of each building to create different types of functional learning.
The functions are naturally divided across the three buildings.
One building is used for administration, and another classroom is the three-year-old’s learning area.
The former library, with vaulted ceiling and exposed trusses, contains a learning area for four to five-year-old children.
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Kitchen activities create the opportunity to integrate cooking into the learning experience in a hands-on manner.
The careful consideration of materiality, joinery, colour, acoustics and lighting creates a playful, calm and nurturing environment.
The neutral palette of timber, white and charcoal is enlivened with pops of blues and greens which highlight key spaces.
Mobile furniture pieces allow every space to be highly flexible and reconfigurable to suit the day’s activities.
Larger, open-plan areas for older children cater to group activities and encourage collaboration.
Intimate areas for younger children can be partitioned for sleeping or quiet time.
It now presents large open plan learning areas that are complemented by quiet zones, messy play zones and an outdoor nature play garden.
Inviting textural elements combined with selective use of pattern and simple geometric shapes are thoughtful touches, sure to engage the children’s senses.
Extensive custom joinery paired with a fresh palette provides ample storage and delightful child-size cubby-holes.
The result is a joyful, imaginative environment for learning through play.
Project Details
Project Size – 565 m2
Project Budget – $1,400,000
Completion Date – 2018
Building Levels – 1
Project Team
Architecture
DesignInc
DesignInc is an award-winning architectural and design practice with offices in Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney in Australia.
DesignInc’s multidisciplinary teams are united with a common vision to make a difference to the health and happiness of people’s lives through the quality of the environments they help create.
Photography
David Sievers
David Sievers has lived photography since 1995. Known for his simple yet striking compositions and attention to detail, he is one of South Australia’s most awarded photographers, and has received the designation of Master of Photography twice (M.Photog) from the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP).
Photo Gallery
Click on a thumbnail image to enlarge.
Design © 2021 DesignInc. All Rights Reserved.| Images © 2021 David Sievers. All Rights Reserved.
Get the Builtworks Letter
In every edition of the Builtworks Letter, you’ll get the behind-the-scenes backstory as to how buildings are designed, built, and brought to life.
You’ll hear compelling stories, learn surprising ideas, meet engaging characters, and discover unique voices.