Carey Baptist Grammar School 

Project summary

The Centre for Creativity and Collaboration at Carey Baptist Grammar School was a $50 million project aimed at accommodating the school’s growth while prioritizing student-centered learning. The project included three speacialist science rooms and 28 learning labs. Anne Thompson Eaton, a Senior Project Manager with the VSBA, played a key role in setting up the novated D&C contracts for the project. 

Collaborating with Architectus, the project delivered six interconnected learning precincts with purposeful spaces and circulation paths. The school’s strategic vision was met through a blend of contemporary design and the surrounding environment’s heritage feel. 

…what Anne did on this project

The Centre for Creativity and Collaboration at Carey Baptist Grammar School was a significant project valued at $50 million, undertaken by Anne Thompson Eaton in her role as a Senior Project Manager with the VSBA. The project’s primary objective was to accommodate the school’s strong growth in student numbers while fostering student-centered learning and well-being. Carey Baptist Grammar School, a leading Christian co-educational independent school, focused on providing a broad and challenging curriculum, embracing an open-entry philosophy of education. 

In collaboration with school leaders, students, and teachers, Architectus, the architectural firm involved in the project, meticulously developed an Education Design Brief that catered to the specific needs of Carey’s Middle School students and educators. The brief outlined six interconnected learning precincts, each representing a physical manifestation of the subject it hosted and the corresponding learning experiences and resources provided to the students and teachers. These precincts comprised a diverse range of purposeful learning settings, complemented by well-defined circulation paths. 

The Middle School scheme revolved around three key design elements. Firstly, the formal determination of the building was influenced by its context, harmoniously integrating the structure within the surrounding environment. Secondly, a comprehensive education plan was established, ensuring that the design aligned seamlessly with the school’s strategic

 vision. Lastly, an architectural framework was meticulously developed, providing the necessary support for the education plan and ensuring the functionality and efficiency of the learning spaces. 

Notably, the south and west elevations of the building featured a striking design, incorporating a series of boxes alternately slipped in and out within a fabricated steel frame. This design approach outwardly expressed the internal plan’s diagram, reflecting the careful consideration of the Education Design Brief’s spatial requirements and responding adeptly to the fine physical grain of the building’s suburban context. 

The project’s successful execution was a result of the close collaboration between the school and the project team. The construction spanned 18 months and yielded a gross floor area of 5,600m², which included the provision of three specialist science rooms and 28 learning labs. Although Anne Thompson Eaton did not see the project through to its completion, her instrumental role in setting up the novated D&C contracts laid the foundation for the realization of this transformative education facility.