MERNDA HILLS CHRISTIAN COLLEGE EARLY LEARNING CENTRE
Mernda Hills Christian College is a co-educational day-college owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Education Department. Situated in a fast-developing suburban growth corridor in Melbourne, the school’s new Early Learning Centre responds to an urgent need for childcare in the area, while setting a new architectural direction for the development of the campus.
Project Type
Early Learning
Client
Mernda Hills Christian College
Completed
2025
Traditional Owners
Wurundjeri people
Child-first design
The low-slung external form of the ELC responds to the scale of the suburban context, with a modest palette of pale brick and corrugated metal that recedes into the landscape. Four children's rooms branch off from a central foyer, kitchen and dining space, forming a horseshoe shaped plan that orients views towards the outdoor play space and simplifies wayfinding.
Sanitary fixtures and benchtops have been located at a child-friendly height, including a miniature sink and raised step along the kitchen counter that allow children to participate in meal preparation without compromising child safety. Integrated joinery tiered seats and cubbies along the shared circulation space provide little zones of retreat for tired or overstimulated children. Generous glazed openings and operable louvres and skylights provide ample solar access and natural ventilation throughout the interiors, ensuring a healthy indoor environment.
Soothing, soft and safe
The interiors are defined by muted colours and biophilic materials, soothing and gentle with no pinch points or sharp edges—timber-look vinyl planks in the children’s rooms, woodwool acoustic ceilings, timber laminate joinery, and a feature pleated timber veneer ceiling in the central dining space. Touchpoints and surfaces have been designed to be easily cleaned and disinfected without appearing sterile or sacrificing warmth.
The landscape and play space design has been thoughtfully considered to spark curiosity and imagination in the littlest of learners. Equipped with a meandering tricycle path, timber cubby house, sandpit, softfall, and a hand pump for water play, every element of the play space encourages exploration and discovery in a safe and nurturing outdoor environment.
KDA Team
Robert Bienvenu, Dean Lau, Julia Meng
Acknowledgements
Photographer
Gallant Lee