Frankston Special Developmental School is a government school located on the Mornington Peninsula in Melbourne’s south-east. Aside from learning spaces, the design includes a staff office and meeting room to allow for a supportive staff presence, as well as a new gymnasium to accommodate sports and performance events for the school community.
The curved walls of the school minimise harsh corners and provide cues to lead children from one area to another, compensating for any visuospatial weaknesses. The organic shapes also form dynamic learning spaces that are functional yet flexible, with a subtle provision of contained, segregated and escape-proof areas that enhance child safety without creating an environment of obvious detention. A limited palette of energetic colours was used to lift the common spaces and classrooms, while materials were selected with concern for their life cycle and robust nature.
