Winners announced in portable classrooms for the future comp

An international jury has deliberated over design ideas submitted to the Melbourne School of Design competition to revolutionise the humble re-locatable classroom, and the results are now in.

Ideas submitted to the Future Proofing Schools Design Ideas Competition responded to a complex brief which outlined best international practices in education, prefabrication, sustainable design and landscape integration.

Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning at The University of Melbourne, Professor Tom Kvan said, "This is a significant competition, the first we know of to be included within a research program funded by the Australian Research Council. Professionals and tertiary students have addressed the importance of the built environment for maximising educational outcomes."

"We asked participants to re-imagine the way that re-locatable teaching spaces should function. Instead of being tired, dreary spaces, we asked for designs to be both practical and delightful," said Professor Kvan.

The winners of the competition, according to category, are:

Professional Competition:
1st prize: Architectus Pty Ltd, Melbourne

Tertiary Student Competition:
1st prize: Anastasia Globa of Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

University of Melbourne Student Competition:
1st prize: Ayrine Kwan, Melbourne School of Design

High School Competition:
Dinel Meyepa, Jack Huynh, Olivia Baenziger, James McMillan and Minh Nguyen.

The winning design idea from architecture firm Architectus proposed a computer ’app’ with a suite of modules to be selected and organized by each client group to suit their needs and location. Tertiary student Anastasia Globa developed a scheme that fully exploited the potential of computer aided prefabrication techniques.

Entries from students of the University of Melbourne explored an exciting variety of design approaches, from individual origami-like folding structures to urban scale ’learning bridges’. In a parallel competition for high school students, Olivia Baenziger designed connecting hexagonal classrooms forming a ’hive’ or integrated cluster of classrooms.

Professor Kvan said, "This is the inaugural event of our annual Ideas Incubator run by our Melbourne School of Design. Each year we will explore a significant social issue and encourage debate through design."

The Awards Ceremony and exhibition launch for the Future Proofing Schools competition will be held on December 12, 6pm at the Wunderlich Gallery, at the University of Melbourne.

The online exhibition displaying submissions is available on www.msdincubator.com/gallery