Cannon Hill Anglican College D Block
Cannon Hill
The Cannon Hill Anglican College D Block development creates a new double-storey building housing six new teaching and learning spaces, breakout spaces, an outdoor deck, locker bays, student amenities, a contemporary kitchen and a new food and beverage precinct for students.
Working in conjunction with the College’s masterplan, the new building is a high-profile location for the campus and forms a critical connection for the linear journey from Prep to Year 12. The building provides a natural entry point into the campus and is an important intersection between the senior and middle schools. The building was intended to give CHAC flexibility in using the space acknowledging CHAC’s desire as part of the Masterplan to be able to use the space for a wide variety of functions, events and learning experiences.
It was important that the design responded to the existing bushland context. It was also important that the construction of the building and the end use building had minimal disruption to existing mature trees on the campus.
Choosing a palette of white brick enhances the sense of surrounding bushland by providing a perfect background for the leaf shadows from the surrounding trees. The bushland inspired interior colour palette of muted greys, greens and pinks work as “wayfinding” prompts, helping students and visitors to the campus to navigate through the area.
Every classroom is intentionally different due to outlook, orientation and as a response to the site.
Awards
2023 National Commendation for Education Architecture – AIA (National)
2023 The Jennifer Taylor Award for Educational Architecture – AIA (Qld)
2022 Dulux Colour Awards – Winner – Commercial and Multi Residential Exterior
2022 INDE Awards – Shortlisted – The Learning Space
2022 Sustainability Awards – Shortlisted – Educations & Research
2022 LOOP Design Awards – Honorable Mention – Architecture | Education Buildings
The thin long building form maintains as much mature landscaping as possible, maximises north-south orientation and allows for abundant cross ventilation. Natural ventilation is then supplemented with high ceilings, sensor controlled louvre windows, large airport doors and ceiling fans. Indoor planting helps to improve indoor air quality. Windows are shaded appropriately based on their orientation to avoid unnecessary heating.
Brickwork was chosen as a natural material with little to no ongoing maintenance.
Utilising undercrofts as spaces for outdoor learning created additional functional areas for the school with less building footprint. Operable walls ensure spaces are flexible, minimising future alterations. The building has adopted an information system that displays the energy and water usage of the building which is an educational tool for the users and students.
Photography – Christopher Frederick Jones