St Paul’s College Upgrade

State-of-the-art, nurturing environment for students with complex needs St Paul’s College is a Catholic specialist school for children with intellectual, physical, profound multiple and sensory disabilities. In just six months, we needed to transform a compact, rundown, vacant school into a nurturing, adaptable, state-of-the-art facility. The much-loved central Discovery Centre incorporates open space for small and large cohorts of teachers and specialists, a bespoke library space, and a 21st Century Sensory Room using state-of-the-art LUMES light panels that students can interact with or program. “We’re most proud of the message our new campus sends students and families when they arrive each day: you are highly valued and deserve the best environment possible in which to spend each school day.” Tim Hemphill, Principal Balancing specialist and mainstream elements, the design places challenging and cocooning features alongside state-of-the art sensory and disability-specific assistive technologies, delivering a unique, engaging, playful, living school environment. Photography by Rhiannon Slatter