Woodleigh School Futures Studio
Langwarrin South, VIC
Set on a sloping site on the outskirts of Woodleigh School’s senior campus, the Futures Studio is designed as a learning centre for the Year 10 Regenerative Futures Program, incorporating three single-level pavilions with green roofs linked by courtyards and sheltered outdoor learning areas, providing diverse learning spaces, staff areas, and a shared year-level hub, enabling hands-on learning and direct connection to regenerative systems, materials and thinking.
Client
Woodleigh School
Project Budget
$7M
Lead Consultant
McIldowie Partners
BRT Scope of Service Building Services Engineering from Sketch Design to Construction Completion
People-first solutions
A collaborative approach was essential in achieving the school’s aspirational sustainability goals. Building upon our longstanding working relationship with McIldowie Partners and established history working with Woodleigh School, and initiating open communication with sustainability consultant Joost Bakker—who the school engaged to drive the
project’s ambitious regenerative design—we took on both technical advisory and design roles, advocating for cost consideration, comfort, compliance and constructability. We worked closely with site operations and maintenance staff to ensure proposed systems aligned with existing campus infrastructure and operational capabilities.
We embraced the opportunity to transform building services into visible learning tools, positioning solar panels, battery storage, mechanical plant, and rainwater systems in accessible ground-mounted compounds adjacent to the pavilions. This strategic placement enables students to observe renewable energy systems in real-time, transforming technical infrastructure into practical educational resources.
Systems thinking approach
Our extensive education project experience enabled us to quickly recognise site infrastructure constraints and apply code requirements strategically to deliver value. Recognising the project’s budget priorities favoured investment in sustainability over infrastructure upgrades, we provided early design advice that leveraged building separation and sizing thresholds to eliminate costly fire services infrastructure requirements entirely, allowing the school to redirect substantial savings toward its environmental objectives.
Integrated service advantage
Our integrated, multidisciplinary approach proved essential in collaborating with the lead architect and Joost Bakker’s innovative, environmentally focused design proposals, providing agile solutions for new materials, and channelling big ideas into practical solutions while maintaining the project’s regenerative vision. The building’s innovative material selections required thoughtful services integration, including walls and ceilings constructed from Durra Panel—compressed recycled straw without glues or toxic materials—which required careful design consideration to eliminate the need to cut penetrations in the panelling and ensure the material’s environmental credentials and aesthetic intent were maintained. This holistic thinking seamlessly connected architectural vision, material innovation, and services delivery.
Going the extra mile
Our best-for-project approach effectively supported Woodleigh’s preference to engage specific trades they’d worked with successfully on previous projects. We collaborated with each contractor to understand their capabilities, developed appropriate documentation to enable ease of delivery, and ensured clear communication and proactive coordination throughout.
This approach successfully maintained design integrity and technical performance, whilst ensuring their trust in established trade partners enhanced rather than complicated project delivery.
