Unusual Architecture + school

Los Angeles, California, Stati Uniti: [PEGS INFINITY CENTRE BY MCBRIDE CHARLES RYAN ARCHITECTS]
McBride Charles Ryan Architects

The Infinity Centre is a new senior school for the Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School in Keilor East. This project is to provide a new Year 11 & 12 Senior Campus for the school.

McBride Charles Ryan Architects

PEGS approach to VCE combines structured pedagogy with individual freedom, and fosters socialisation and interaction.

McBride Charles Ryan Architects

The Infinity Centre is derived from the initial idea that the library, a learning hub, is central to the school.

McBride Charles Ryan Architects

We also wanted a building that offered protection from a windswept site and signified the merging of two schools, Penleigh Presbyterian Ladies' College and Essendon Grammar School for boys.

McBride Charles Ryan Architects

The idea of infinite learning became the mantra. Radiating out from the library, along the length of the form, are specialist precincts and a variety of learning spaces.

McBride Charles Ryan Architects

Each wing then returns to link up, forming cloisters and the resulting plan of an infinity symbol. Being structured around two protected courtyards has enhanced the learning space’s access to light, ventilation and view.

McBride Charles Ryan Architects

Each wing has its own qualities, different from each other and yet seamlessly connected to the next.

McBride Charles Ryan Architects

In this way the building acts as an embodiment of the journey of education, with less distinction of any prescribed boundaries between disciplines.

McBride Charles Ryan Architects

The colour strategy reinforces the identity of the academic disciplines, universally enhanced by the richness of natural materials, such as locally recycled timber.

McBride Charles Ryan Architects

Planning allows the building’s circulation to constantly return to the library at its heart, and in this way is physically and experientially in parallel with the educational ethos of the school.

McBride Charles Ryan Architects
McBride Charles Ryan Architects
McBride Charles Ryan Architects
McBride Charles Ryan Architects
McBride Charles Ryan Architects
McBride Charles Ryan Architects
McBride Charles Ryan Architects
McBride Charles Ryan Architects
McBride Charles Ryan Architects
McBride Charles Ryan Architects

Location: Melbourne, Australia Architect: McBrideCharles Ryan Architects Project Team: Rob McBride, Debbie Ryan, Andrew Hayne, Drew Williamson, Qianyi Lim, Peter Ryan, Stephan Bekhor, Anthony Parker, Amelia Borg, Natasha Maben, Benedikt Josef, Alan Ting, Luke Waldron, Jacqui Robbins, Daniel Griffin, Seung Hyuk Choi, Angela Woda Area: 8000 m2 Cost: $ 33m AUD Year: 2012 Client: Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School Photography: John Gollings, Peter Bennetts