The Methodist Ladies College (MLC) in Kew, Victoria now boasts three unique courtyards, designed to cater to the contemporary learning pedagogy of the school. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Garden links to the college’s Marshmead Campus, while the Star Courtyard serves as the social hub of the school. The Learning Courtyard, adjacent to the Language Centre, is used as an outdoor learning lab. We worked closely with teachers and students to ensure the learning laboratories, syllabus and built outcomes aligned with the school’s vision. The courtyards are beloved destinations and have established microclimates that mitigate heat while providing shade during outdoor learning opportunities and recreation. 

The courtyards are a triptych of outdoor spaces that include: An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Garden linking to the colleges Mallacoota Marshmead Campus; the Star Courtyard as the social heart of the school, that is accessible to all; the Learning Courtyard adjacent to the Language Centre as an outdoor learning lab. 

The three courtyards were designed as unique expressions for the school within a single project. The development of the Dr Wood Learning building by McIldowie Partners enabled the landscape to be progressively redeveloped responding to the contemporary learning pedagogy both inside and outside.