2024 Canterbury Architecture Awards Winner
Marian College
The new college is a bold, inventive and groundbreaking architectural project for a Catholic girls’ school destroyed by the Christchurch earthquakes. A typology unlike anything seen before, a sprawling warehouse form converts the new school into an urban village sheltered from the elements beneath a vast canopy roof. The skylit circulation and gathering spaces between the structures are spatially dramatic, providing the sensation of being outdoors while offering shelter from harsh climate conditions. Playing fields, a gymnasium and theatre are easily housed under the folded roof. The exquisite, atmospheric chapel near the entrance creates a slightly surreal and uplifting experience. The school’s commitment to sustainability and focus on the environment is matched by the architecture. From the imaginative repurposing of an existing building to the prefabricated timber structures within, this building is pushing the boundaries. Most importantly, students and staff are invigorated and energised by this innovative learning environment.
- Practice
- Sheppard & Rout Architects Ltd
- Category
- Education
- Location
- Canterbury
