Delivered in a timeframe of two short years, Ramlegh Park Primary School is a calculated, high quality educational institution, designed by DesignInc and Brand Architects.
Situated in Melbourne’s fast-growing Clyde North, the school is designed to be the beating heart of the local community. DesignInc and Brand have placed an emphasis on nature-inspired learning, to ensure the students connect with their surroundings and immerse themselves within the outdoors.
The subject of an unorthodox planning process, Ramlegh Park was delivered as part of the Victorian School Building Authority’s (VSBA) New Schools 2021 Program. The school, along with six others, was planned, designed and delivered within a two year timeframe, to ensure students, parents and teachers had a school ready to support the community.
The VSBA sought schools that demonstrate exemplary design and quality. Ramlegh Park Primary School had to meet high standards and aspirational goals, while delivering value for money with a sustainable approach.
The school comprises four separate buildings arranged in a manner that creates courtyards to encourage learning both inside and out of the classroom. Forming the school’s functional core are two Learning Neighbourhood buildings that offer every child the security of a homebase and multiple possibilities for connection and exploration.
Next to the learning neighbourhoods is a resource intensive learning hub with a library and administration area, enabling cross-curricula connections between science, art and food technology in collaborative learning spaces. The Community Hub, a multipurpose facility designed to ensure external usage, possesses the ability to host large events and performances.
The design aims to nurture a child in all aspects of life, not simply just the intellectual, but also the emotional to the physical. Biophilic design principles were used throughout the build, with plantations and a strong connection to nature featured within formal learning zones and the spaces in between and outside. The practice’s believe biophilia underpins best-practice education design. Working with landscape designers allowed the principles to be extended to throughout the outdoor areas and play spaces creating harmony among the spaces.
Ramlegh Park Public School is the embodiment of the modern public school. Incorporating biophilic principles and fostering a connection between each space through the creation of courtyards, the school is an institution that will remain the nucleus of its community for generations.
