St Kilda Primary School | Law Architects

‘Nozomi’ means ‘hope’ in Japanese, embodying the aspirations and potential of every child at St Kilda Primary School, and incorporating the school’s nomenclature of buildings to honour their long-held connection with Japan. Rigorous collaboration between Law Architects and various key stakeholders in the project resulted in a new ‘Nozomi’ learning building deeply embedded with the school’s values and encompassing core design principles of sustainability, connection to landscape and inclusivity. Learners slide effortlessly between indoor and outdoor spaces with playful delight, engagement, and a deep connection with the surrounding natural environment. The new learning building remains adaptable to evolving pedagogical approaches and varying student populations, whilst offering a respectful nod to its heritage-listed sibling, the ‘Hato’ building sitting adjacent on Brighton Road. The completion of Nozomi is a tribute to years of dreaming and visioning by the school community and the many hands and voices involved in its realisation.