Carey Baptist Grammar School’s new Centre for Learning and Innovation is now open. A sleek and stunning building of glass and polished steel, its mirrored facade reflects a peaceful, tree-lined environment.

The Centre has been designed as the new heart of the Kew campus. Sitting roughly in the middle of the grounds, at the top of the main oval, the Centre connects the chapel and the quadrangle. Overseen by Hayball architects, the design is based around the concept of the ‘Tree of Knowledge’. The building branches and spreads outwards in all directions, reflecting natural growth.

At the top of the Centre is the United Nations room. A round-tabled meeting room with a spreading panoramic view, the vista will inspire peace and serenity in meeting attendees. A similar meeting space just down the hall, titled the Cabinet Room, presents the other side of the panorama. The two rooms are joined by a spreading exterior deck, which should prove popular during sunny afternoons.

The building sits on a gentle rise. From the main entrance doors, wide staircases descend into the Information Resource Centre. Here, library books and IT portals are accessible for staff and students. The room gets plenty of natural light through the glass exterior wall, and incorporates several spaces for collaboration. All large exterior glass panels for the building have been decorated with a flowing continuation of Carey’s school symbol. The result looks great, and gives Carey Baptist Grammar a new focal point.

The Centre features EDGE’s MAX® 182mm Curtain Wall framing on the top and ground floors. This architectural framing system allows for the largest panels of glass to be incorporated into the design, whilst also reducing visible metal on the building’s exterior, improving u-values.

View the gallery for this project here.