Annie Hughston Centre, Fintona Girls’ School

When it comes to inspiring women to pursue a career in science, technology, engineering, mathematics or design, one place we can start is our schools. By embedding these disciplines into the fabric of a young woman’s upbringing, their possibilities for exposure, learning and connection can grow. The Centre frames STEM learning environments with a student-centred approach that makes experimentation visible and everyday. The Annie Hughston Centre is a new two storey educational building at Fintona Girls’ School in Melbourne, Victoria that is opening possibilities for the next generation of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and beyond. Our design provides a new, contemporary identity for the School’s Mathematics and Science precinct, while embracing the charm of Fintona’s historic buildings and beautiful grounds. Curved forms and clear wayfinding tie the building into campus desire lines, supporting effortless movement between science, mathematics and outdoor learning. Named after the School’s founding Principal, The Annie Hughston Centre contains a mix of flexible classrooms, laboratories, and collaborative study areas, encouraging students’ experimentation, connection, and inspiring ideas. The educational facility will play a big role in shaping the way young women learn, the relationships and memories they form during their education, and their career paths. Flexible learning spaces, writable surfaces and breakout niches create collaborative learning environments and enable learning space optimisation across the timetable.

State-of-the-art student facilities

We worked closely with project stakeholders and members of the wider school community to design a facility where students would want to spend time and academically thrive. The building’s conception alone brings STEM to the forefront of student’s minds, opening important possibilities for young women. Commenting on the success of user input during the design process, past parent and architect Corbett Lyon said, “This was a fabulously collaborative project from day one. A stakeholder user group led by the School Principal involving staff, students and Board members. The end result is a testament to their engagement and commitment to delivering an outstanding project.”

On the ground floor meeting rooms, classrooms, labs, a design studio and flexible breakout spaces offer opportunities for collaboration, relaxation and study. Upstairs, the collaborative learning environment continues with flexible learning spaces that can also be used for larger school functions. Open staff spaces and adaptive student spaces create a community hub feel to support learning and strengthen student’s sense of place. Open stairs, lounges and window benches act as student engagement spaces that extend learning beyond formal rooms. The facility is filled with natural light and views out to the campus, an important feature to connect the new building back to the rest of the school. Other features include state-of-the art laboratory spaces with the versatility to cater for students of all ages, seamless ICT connectivity and audio-visual capabilities, writable surfaces for problem solving and collaborative activity, built in lockers and small study nooks. Acoustic ceilings and integrated AV support clear speech and quiet focus, making technology-rich lessons feel seamless.

The building’s form is derived from organic cellular geometry, curving to perfectly fit the campus. The corbelled brick pattern of the façade is created with undulating brickwork designed using algorithms that translate mathematical and scientific equations into 2D imagery. Aesthetically pleasing from the outside, the curved design creates functional internal spaces. The pattern turns mathematical ideas into architecture, reinforcing the building’s identity as a home for STEM.

Grampian Blues brick is the principal external material, used to complement the colour palette and textures of the campus and neighbouring buildings. New brick paving extends existing pathways through the rest of the campus to ensure the Annie Hughston Centre is connected to the other buildings. The spatial arrangement of the outside seating is inspired by the Fibonacci sequence, another nod to the science discipline. Material continuity from façade to paving strengthens wayfinding and campus legibility.