Spiritus

Loreto Kirribilli has embarked on the first stage of transforming its school site with the development of an Innovation Centre, named Spiritus, which is an integral part of realising the school’s educational vision.  

Spiritus incorporates a range of dynamic, versatile learning spaces and studios within its seven storeys, all designed to inspire an entrepreneurial mindset by enhancing trans-disciplinary learning, creativity, collaboration and critical thinking. The flexible design of the open collaboration spaces will engage K-12 students across all learning domains while also providing important connections and expanding the use of other significant buildings on the site, including the Marian Centre, which houses Senior School Visual Arts and English, our Centenary Hall and Gymnasium.

The new building seeks to optimise excellence in learning while at the same time maintaining the openness and beauty of the school and neighbourhood. Spiritus is purposefully designed to be lower in height than the adjacent street-facing building known as the Marian Centre. This responsive design is a result of extensive consultation with staff, students, parents, neighbours and the local community.  

Open communication with all key stakeholders has been a key part of our building process, thereby providing the appropriate level of support for students, parents, staff and the local community. With this in mind, regular community engagement has occurred through student and staff briefings, community letterbox drops, guest appearances at local precinct meetings, and informal catch-ups with local residents in their homes. Open conversation about any issue, large or small, has been crucial. 

There has been a concerted effort to engage students (as well as staff and parents) throughout the building process with the aim of defamiliarising the familiar. Realising this aim has involved students participating in a range of inspiring workshops where they have had the opportunity to engage with experts associated with the building of Spiritus – history students have engaged with archaeologists, design students with architects, and mathematics and science students with engineers. Aspiring Years 11 and 12 engineering students recently attended a fascinating workshop on the ‘super beam’, which now spans our new gymnasium space and connects our new building Spiritus. Led by Northrop Engineers, students heard how the structural engineers and builders solved the real-world problem of reengineering structural support pillars to integrate spectator seating into our new space. Students were then challenged to solve an engineering problem in their mathematics classes afterwards – much more engaging than simply showing the students where the new seating is located in the gym. Separately, a panel of experts, including lawyers, architects, project managers, builders and engineers, engaged students in a Q and A session during which students had the opportunity to better understand careers in the building industry.

Parental engagement has been a priority throughout the build. General updates on progress, fostering a greater understanding of the educational vision behind our new building and masterplan, and explaining the need to invest through a capital campaign process have been essential foci. To realise these aims and strengthen our culture of philanthropy, breakfast meetings, dinners and workshops were held for two years.  

Tours of Spiritus were also conducted, where parents were challenged to imagine the ways students will intensively use the new building . At the same time, parents were reminded about how the rapid pace of change and how the emergence of new technologies have transformed the way students learn, making the present such a dynamic time for education. Spiritus is an integral part of our educational vision and a vital piece of infrastructure that will further prepare our students for the evolving world beyond school. The building itself is magnificent, but the learning that Spiritus will realise is the real triumph. Such an exciting time for education indeed. 

Explore more about the story of our Spiritus project on our website here.

Author: Daniel Mahon, Deputy Principal K – 12, Loreto Kirribilli