Mt St Michael’s College has an established learning culture that values excellence and diversity, where students are confident to pursue their passions and are equipped for the demands of higher education, work and life.
Our holistic approach to education provides opportunities for our students to develop 21st century skills so that they may become lifelong learners and global citizens. These skills will help them become critical thinkers, creative problem solvers, risk takers, collaborative team players and confident, creative and productive users of technology.
To make sure the College can continue to offer a transformative curriculum, we are investing in the ongoing improvement of our teaching and learning environment and facilities.
The College’s need for a new Learning Centre
The College established a masterplan in collaboration with architects, teachers, parents and students to guide continuous improvement in our campus facilities. Part of the master planning process involved a series of collaborative workshops. The workshops determined that:
- Our existing facilities are too small for the current enrolment size.
- Administration is spread throughout the College.
- The Library is small and inconveniently located.
- The College lacks flexible learning areas.
- The College lacks spaces where year level cohorts can gather.
A Learning Centre to meet current and future needs
The College is proposing a new, three-storey Learning Centre with integrated landscaping, fronting Amarina Avenue. The building will:
- Unite the College’s administrative staff on the ground level
- Provide a larger Library, extra teaching space and presentation space on Level 1
- Provide flexible contemporary classrooms with an outdoor learning area on Level 2
- Enable the heritage listed Grantuly (current administration) to be used in better alignment with the College mission
- Provide improved shaded seating areas for the students.
YOUR FEEDBACK IS WELCOMED
We are currently engaging with the community about this project and welcome your feedback to assist in finalising the design and government approval of our new Learning Centre. We encourage you to learn more by viewing our project consultation posters here.
PLANNING APPROVAL
The College has applied to the Queensland Government to identify the campus as a Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID) under the Planning Act 2016. A MID approval would enable the proposed new Learning Centre to be constructed where the current ‘Innovation Centre’ is located, adjacent Amarina Avenue and across from Ashgrove Library. The new Learning Centre would appropriately meet the evolving needs of the current school enrolment, capped at 900.
CELEBRATING THE COLLEGE’S HERITAGE – GRANTULY
Heritage is at the heart of the College and we are focused on preserving the true heritage.
- Moving the administration into a new Learning Centre will allow planning around the repurposing of existing facilities, including the heritage-listed Grantuly house.
- Grantuly was built circa 1900 by the Stewart family.
- The Sisters of Charity acquired the house and two acres of land in 1925.
- Schooling commenced on 1 June 1925 on the verandahs of Grantuly.
- The new Learning Centre design has been considerate of how we celebrate Grantuly within the College masterplan.
- The design incorporates a line of sight from Amarina Avenue through to Grantuly, making more visible the heritage value of the site to the neighbourhood.
SPECIALIST PROJECT ARCHITECTS – KO&Co
The College has worked closely with KO&Co architects to produce a highly considered building design that is sensitive to its context and neighbourhood. Watch the video to hear KO&Co Director, Karen Ognibene, discuss the Learning Centre design.
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR PLANS
To find out more about our plans, please view our consultation posters here.
If you have any questions or comments, you can also contact the College project team at planning@msm.qld.edu.au