A Sunshine Coast school has been recognised on the national stage, winning a top design accolade for its new innovative outdoor learning space.
Matthew Flinders Anglican College was named the winner of the Landscaping/Outdoor Learning Area category at the annual Learning Environments Australasia (LEA) Design Awards last month.
The independent co-educational school at Buderim was awarded the top place for its master-planned outdoor learning zone, named The Green.
Flinders was applauded by the awards jury for setting a “benchmark for outdoor educational spaces” with a “flexible and inclusive setting that supports both structured curriculum and spontaneous engagement”.
Principal Michelle Carroll said it was an honour for the college to receive the award, amid an excellence awards program featuring 70 entries across eight award categories.
The college teamed up with leading Australian landscape architects Tract to design The Green alongside the new Infinity Centre project as part of the Flinders Master Plan. The projects opened to students for learning in January.
The awards jury said: “The Green exemplifies a forward-thinking, holistic design approach that is at once functional, inclusive and uplifting.
“It delivers a rich, layered and joyful environment that enhances campus life and sets a benchmark for outdoor educational spaces.”
The Green features a range of study nooks and seating zones in varied configurations, an open stage and exhibition space, as well as large, turfed areas, stepped seating terraces and plaza spaces, all bordered by lush, landscaped gardens.
Ms Carroll said the college was honoured to be recognised by the LEA “as one of the outstanding learning environments across Australasia that exemplify innovation, purpose-driven design and powerful collaboration between architects, educators and communities”.
“The Green is a result of our deep commitment to provide our students and staff with innovative learning environments that inspire and support future-focused learning and enhance student outcomes,” she said.
“As part of our exciting Flinders Master Plan, The Green provides our college community with a healthy and modern centralised hub in the secondary school campus that is enjoyed as an oasis of calm, creativity and connection.
“It is an inspiring and flexible outdoor space for our students to learn, socialise and perform; a place where they can explore a wide range of educational activities and opportunities as part of the curriculum and co-curricular program, and gather, socialise and recharge during break times.
“It’s also a place for our wider community to gather and celebrate student talent, such as our recent production of Twelfth Night as an outdoor theatre experience.”
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Bill Hooper, the head of curriculum at Flinders, said the college worked closely with Tract’s project team to bring to life an ambitious vision for learning in the outdoor space.
“We wanted The Green to reflect our college’s commitment to creating the optimal conditions to inspire students’ wellbeing, learning and growth,” he said.
“The new outdoor space amplifies the design thinking and problem-based learning approach that predominates in the adjoining Infinity Centre, by providing students with functional outdoor spaces for group work and collaboration, as well as for the ‘test’ phase of the design process, when students pitch ideas to their audiences or present their final prototypes or solutions, for example, through an exhibition, concert, Q&A panel or keynote.
“The Green provides exciting opportunities for learning to flow effortlessly between indoor and outdoor settings and enables our college community to celebrate and experience the artwork, physical and digital products that students have resolved by acting as an extension to the gallery space within the Infinity Centre.
“We are also fortunate to have dedicated teaching staff willing to embrace new opportunities to teach, learn and exhibit within indoor and outdoor spaces and far beyond.”
