For all students regardless of abilities, backgrounds, or needs.
Inclusion in schools is crucial for creating environments where all students, regardless of their abilities, backgrounds, or needs, feels valued and supported. It fosters diversity, cultivates a sense of belonging, and ensures that every student has equal access to educational opportunities. When schools prioritse inclusion by designing spaces that accommodate students and staff with disabilities it not only fulfills their ethical and legal responsibilities but also creates a culture of acceptance and respect.
Caulfield Grammar School’s five values guide the way they work together and behave. These values embody all their actions, “pursue excellence, inspire creativity, thrive together, embrace diversity, and live wholeheartedly.” This article highlights Architecture & Access’s involvement in providing access consultancy services for the school’s St Kilda East campus, in collaboration with DesignInc.
Situated within the Caulfield Campus, the new teaching and learning building is a testament to modern, inclusive architecture. The four-level facility includes spaces that are accessible to students and staff of diverse abilities, all connected by a central stairwell and lift. Key accessibility features of the new building include:
- Collaborative teaching and learning spaces
- Accessible lab workstations
- Glazed doors and windows for visual connectivity between spaces
- All-Gender accessible and ambulant toilets, promoting privacy and inclusion
- Lift access to all four levels
- Wide corridors and pausing spaces for ease of movement
- Tiered seating in presentation areas
- Enhanced visibility through luminance contrast between floor finishes and vertical elements
- And many more accessible features
1. Collaborative learning spaces
2. Self-contained ambulant sanitary facilities
3. Contrasting elements to enhance visibility
4. Accessible path of travel to All-Gender toilet bank
5. Quiet enclosed spaces to cater for sensory overload achieving a visual connect with our spaces in the school
From the schematic design stage onward, Architecture & Access worked closely with DesignInc to ensure that every aspect of the building was designed with accessibility in mind. Regular design workshops with DesignInc led to improvements in stair design, design of collaboration spaces, provision of luminance contrast, and the integration of accessible workstations. The school’s sanitary facilities were also designed to be all-gender, self-contained, and private, catering to the needs of a diverse community.
In addition to the building’s interior, Architecture & Access is now assessing the surrounding landscaping to ensure greater accessibility throughout the campus, further enhancing the connectivity between buildings.
Through thoughtful design and collaboration, Caulfield Grammar School continues to champion inclusive education, ensuring that all students and staff have the opportunity to thrive in a supportive and accessible environment.
Image credit: Chris Matterson Photography