ClarkeHopkinsClarke has began the development of revamping Traralgon Secondary College in Traralgon, Australia.

The new VCE Centre at Traralgon College represents Stage 1 of a broader master plan we developed for the dual campus school. The result is a new VCE Centre, featuring an engaging communal space, a presentation area and upgraded learning areas equipped for flexible use; the dedicated senior learning hub enables the school to evolve its education offering. Intentionally included in Stage 1, the aspirational new VCE Centre sets the pace and design language for further improvements at Traralgon College.

The project brief encompassed the restructure of Traralgon College’s Grey Street campus, providing a new facility with flexible spaces responsive to contemporary teaching models and senior students’ learning needs.

Situated in the eastern Latrobe Valley, the school draws students from across Gippsland. A number of families in this regional community sit in the moderate to low socioeconomic demographic, and it had been years since the local government college had received funding for capital works.

Established in the 1960s, outdated facilities made for an uninspired learning environment, impacting enrolment numbers and school spirit, with instances of student vandalism in existing buildings. Their leadership team sought to reinvigorate the campus and instill a sense of pride in its community, with an ambition to become the ‘school of choice’ for students and parents.

Their educational brief centres on student autonomy and empowerment through adaptive contemporary learning modes. Drawing on biophilic design principles, our response is an evolved senior hub tailored to the needs of teachers and students, housing a series of spaces inclusive of diverse abilities and requirements, offering greater choice in learning pathways.

Dedicated learning environments are designed to support a variety of education modes, with at least six distinct formats considered. Adaptable areas expand to accommodate large group presentations and lectures, explicit instructive learning, creative activities, collaborative learning, small group meetings and indoor/outdoor learning.

Intentional sightlines in and out of classrooms allow a high degree of passive supervision throughout. This creates a collaborative co-teaching environment, and an open, collegiate hub for students. Importantly, the new facility establishes a mature learning environment akin to a tertiary institution, to raise expectations of student behaviour and learning, in line with the College’s strategic plan.

Design: ClarkeHopkinsClarke
Photography: Rhiannon Slatter