Lilydale Heights College
Project: Lilydale Heights College
Practice: Tectura Architects
Location: Lilydale, Victoria
Planex products: xLocker2 System
Lock technology: Padlock system to align with the existing school’s system
Lilydale Heights College campus is located in Lilydale, Victoria and is set within lush grounds and views towards the Yarra Ranges. As part of the Victorian School Building Authority building works, Tectura was engaged to implement the third stage of the school’s masterplan; the rejuvenation of the existing Arts and Technology Building plus a new Maths, Science and Food Technology learning building.
The re-design of the Arts and Technology building encourages students to adopt ‘design thinking’ in developing their project work with spaces for ideation and brainstorming ideas, which are located proximate to maker spaces, practical machine and woodworking spaces to allow for students to iteratively move between the spaces, with an emphasis on flexible and adaptive learning environments.
The refurbished Technology and Arts building also features a large dual breakout and entrance space to cater for a variety of uses in performing arts and technology and improve the internal flexibility and usability of an existing building to align with the school’s changing teaching and learning needs.
The new Maths and Science building houses the school’s main science labs, general purpose classrooms and co-locates the school’s food technology wing and Valleydale café.
The architectural inspiration for the new building draws from the natural environment based on three key themes; texture, movement and colour. Natural light and views are captured through the windows to frame moments along the eastern façade looking towards the Yarra Ranges; bringing in light and views. The selected blue/green glazing plays an important role with a high level of reflectivity; reflecting the natural environment and providing an experiential effect at a human scale.
In collaboration with the school, a conversation circle located opposite the large tilt doors to learning areas was developed, to allow for internal and external learning opportunities.
The built-in student lockers are an inherent part of the interior design and joinery elements in both buildings; with colours and perforations purposely selected to align with the textures and colours of the external landscape using burnt ochres and shades of green to also complement the interior timber acoustic panels.
The Planex xLocker2 system was specified by Tectura Architects and incorporates the freefold pattern with a padlock system as requested by the school to align with their existing system.
Photography by James Buchanan Photography & Multimedia
Text by Tectura Architects