Ravenswood Senior Learning Centre

Ravenswood School for Girls is an independent, day and boarding school for Prep - Year 12 girls, situated in Gordon, an Upper North Shore suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Senior Learning Centre was developed primarily for increasing the volume of learning spaces on campus, as well as to increase the sense of ownership and connection for the students. Moving away from the traditional, institutional educational model, Ravenswood is a ‘homely’ building where different types of learning can be explored, and where the senior girls have somewhere they can learn, have lunch, socialise or study after hours. Importantly it offers them a place of personal connection to the school, offering them platforms for group-based learning, or supplying areas of retreat for quiet reflective learning throughout the day and after school hours The building, with its striking green Verdigris patina, is a distinctive landmark along Pacific Highway and provides an outward presence to the community. The perforated copper façade is based on the shape of a gum tree seedling, from the gum trees found on site, with the pattern laser cut onto pre-aged copper. The roof form was inspired by residential houses found throughout Ravenswood campus and along Pacific Highway. Nooks and booths internally, mimic the dynamic, geometric silhouette of the roof. The existing learning spaces on campus are configured for teacher focused learning, where the students face the teacher at the front of a class. However, The Senior Learning Centre is configured for alternate learning models. All of the rooms are flexible squares with folding, glazed, highly acoustic screens and doors. This allows classrooms to flow into adjacent collaboration areas, with an ability to open entire floors into one large work area. This is supported by mobile tables and chairs and a variety of furniture settings to relocate into break out areas, or learning/studying spaces as required. The Ground Plane has a flexible studio space for dance, yoga and entertainment. The glazed façade overlooks a new kitchen garden. Level 1 is a large shared space, where senior staff are based, along with breakout spaces, and a kitchen area. This area has been designed to offer the senior girls a sense of ownership. Taking cues from workplace design, where informal meeting spaces and collaboration are key to cross pollination and communication, the large breakout spaces and kitchen offer autonomy and independence. Here the girls can begin to transition from a more structured school environment into one more akin to higher education, selecting their own working environments and collaboration spaces. Adjacent to the kitchen space is the Student Councillor Office, placed on this level to offer another level of support. The amphitheatre, links level 1 to level 2 and is designed for open gatherings where the students can congregate, accommodating up to 150 girls at any one time. On Level 2 and 3, there are a mixture of learning areas in the building with nine cellular classrooms, collaboration areas and places for individual study.