LONG FORM TEXT
A ‘home away from home’ for Stuartholme School boarding students. This was a responsibility our team did not take lightly, breathing new life and energy into the existing heritage boarding facilities, which included a full refurbishment, creating a series of bedroom pods, breakout and community spaces, and amenities.
The school is in a unique setting, with unrivalled views overlooking Brisbane. Drawing references to the ‘streetscape’ and the importance placed on the idea of the ‘front door’, we wanted to create spaces the students could really take ownership of and make their own.
The spaces feel modern and fresh but have traditional influences within the form and finishes. It is a cheerful atmosphere with a calm palette that promotes a serene environment.
The boarding pods provide students with their own comfortable space that is cheerful, yet serene. The heritage building played an important role in developing the forms of the pods, with the existing arched windows providing inspiration for the doorways into the pods.
To emphasise the varied streetscape feeling, we utilised a variety of finishes to promote an eclectic community feel – fluted panelling in different shades sits against entrance curtains in complimentary tones, providing an interesting textural surface that subtly references the corrugated tin roofs and sheds of home.
Instead of a numerical system, each pod has its own timber disc with students’ names, House name and the years attended engraved upon. These are slotted into the feature entrance piece adjacent to each doorway, with students able to take them with them throughout their boarding journey. The feature entrance pieces are also backlit to provide a warm glow of an evening.
In each dormitory is a breakout community space, designed to promote interaction with built-in bench seating and storage which students can make their own.
The Study space is designed to be multi-use with the key moment being the built-in bench seating sitting under the arched windows which hero the unparalleled views across Brisbane city.
