In our final movie from the World Architecture Festival 2016, architect Ann Lau explains how Australian firm Hayball plans to create collaborative learning spaces in the Melbourne school that was named Future Project of the Year last month.

South Melbourne Primary School, due to be completed in early 2018 in Melbourne, Australia, is billed by its architects Hayball as the "first vertical school" in the region.

The five-storey building will incorporate a primary school for 525 students as well as community facilities such as a child health centre and indoor and outdoor sports courts.

"The densification of our city means that we also need to densify how we deal with our social infrastructure," says Hayball director Ann Lau in the movie.
"Most schools in Melbourne tend to be single or double-level. But this is a hybrid building with six levels, which reflects the density of this new portion of the city precinct."

Community facilities will be located on the two lower floors, with the primary school occupying the upper portion of the building.

Lau says that, instead of traditional classrooms, children will be taught in a series of "learning neighbourhoods" that incorporate both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Read more on Dezeen: https://www.dezeen.com/2016/12/22/video-interview-south-melbourne-primary-school-hayball-ann-lau-no-formal-classrooms-future-project-year-2016-movie/

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