Staff Centre, La Salle College
The new Staff Centre at La Salle College in Middle Swan, Western Australia, fosters a sense of community and unity within the staff body.
The new building is located within the heart of the school campus. A north-facing, covered, outdoor terrace overlooks the playing fields, with views out to the various parts of the school. The elevated level provides some quiet separation from the densely populated campus below, and provides opportunities for staff to meet, collaborate and relax. The lower level of the building accommodates performing arts facilities to complement those in the adjacent building.
The form of the building takes cues from the materials and forms of the adjacent buildings. Traditional ‘Midland reds’ face brickwork is used extensively for walls and decorative treatments including banding, window sills and heads. The exterior materials are robust yet the building achieves a lightness through the generous use of glazed screens and floating roofs. These admit controlled light and natural ventilation into the interior. Interiors are light and modern and warm timber and muted tones provide a comfortable and quiet, relaxed and friendly environment.