Everton Park State High School
Outdoor Learning Area

Everton Park State High School opened in 1961 and enjoys a strong sense of community, a characteristic that informed our design for the new Outdoor Learning Area project.

The brief called for a dynamic outdoor space with seating, landscaping, handball courts and a covered link that connects to the adjoining buildings.

Working with the undulating ground plane and around existing amenities – including picnic tables and shelters – we proposed a welcoming amphitheatre as the centrepiece of our design.

The amphitheatre accommodates large classes and breakout groups, making it ideal for multiple modes of learning.

The bushland setting provides the perfect backdrop for the new amphitheatre, and we accentuated these connections to nature by installing wide sandstone and grassy steps, which combine to create a cool and inviting space under the large canopy.

The timber and corrugated roof form – which references the vernacular materials of homes in the surrounding suburb – is subtly divided into three skillion roofs. These provide generous shelter as they step down the levels of the site, which helps to visually break up the bulk of the new addition in the landscape.

Transcending the brief for a prosaic covered outdoor learning area, this new addition connects seamlessly with its natural surroundings – and supports multiple modes of teaching and learning – to provide a much-loved social activity hub for students during their classes and breaktimes.