The lands of the Giabal and Jarowair peoples, speakers of the Wakka Wakka language of the Toowoomba area
Queensland
Darling Downs and West Moreton
With a focus upon student wellbeing and community engagement, Polding Place at Good Samaritan College Toowoomba contains classrooms, Food Technology teaching spaces with a commercial kitchen, Cafe, and a Design Technology workshop. Each space is naturally ventilated with good access to breezes and controlled daylight.
Outdoor learning spaces are located adjacent to traditional teaching spaces and are flexible for social activities. Materials and niches have been selected that are robust, with low maintenance, while providing continuity with the existing campus buildings to reinforce the identity and history of the College.
The main social space of the College is revitalised by the new building framing, and providing an active social edge to, a central courtyard. Integrated planting, through vines and shade trees, mediate the outdoor spaces to provide cool and social landscapes to be enjoyed.
Speculative Architecture gets us. Dirk understands what we are trying to achieve within our school community and how the architectural work can support and champion this.
There is a focus on healthy social learning spaces that prioritise the experiences of the students and staff.
The development of the design is clearly articulated through the presentation and sharing of design reports that include collages of the various spaces and the concepts that inform them.
We are on a journey together, discussing the feel and look of these spaces, having the ability to improve the design with the team as it develops.