CBC in St Kilda is a secondary boys school. The brief was to create an environment to foster best practice in boys education and specifically a fidelity to Edmund Rice Chrism.

The redevelopment focused on energising under utilised school spaces and the creation of meaningful connections with the surrounding public domain.

A hidden, dreary undercroft and enclosed recreational facilities were transformed into vibrant and flexible spaces. The design of the central spine also activates spaces that were stagnant and transient.

Design inspiration emerged from the notion of a traditional “piazza”, stained glass patterns found in churches and the 3-star school logo.

Colours inspired by the Australian landscape, and the flow between building elements and the surrounding parkland represent a triumph of interlinking architectural and urban art strategies to create inviting spaces that people want to engage with.

Photography - Jaime Diaz-Berrio