St Mary’s College Library

St Mary’s Catholic College Library refurbishment project is a transformation of a near original mid-1980s traditional secondary school library space into a contemporary collaborative learning environment.

The library space is approximately 400m2 in area and occupies the upper floor of Block A nearest the entry to the College. The creation of multiple learning zones affording varied opportunities for individual and group collaboration was a key design imperative. Other considerations included maintaining an open floor plate for passive observations by staff, subtle demarcation of staff and student areas, increasing natural light infiltration and embracing innovative technologies and communications for learning.

These objectives have been achieved through the introduction of glazed partitions to define the classroom and meeting room spaces, carefully articulated joinery and ceiling modelling to structure and inform the open space uses along with selective treatments for acoustic control. The bold use of floor colour to subtly zone space along with the provision of loose furnishings embraces flexible learning zones that can be re-arranged all lending to the spaces vibrant and flexible nature.