Giarola Architects

What an inspiring week we have had filling our minds with all things education, creativity and growth. Last week we attended the LEA 3001: A Learning Space Odyssey conference in Brisbane. It provided the perfect space to sip coffee with and pick the minds of educators, project managers and fellow architects from around Australia. Keynote speakers delved deep into the key challenges this industry faces in creating learning spaces to suit our future generation and it really got us thinking – how can we make a difference in this space and help shape the future of education?

During the conference we were lucky to have the opportunity to visit and admire some of Brisbane’s most innovative learning facilities, each taking a unique approach to fostering engagement, flexibility, and collaboration in modern learning spaces. We also had the privilege of showing off our own designs - Mancel College and C&K Oxley Childcare Centre. We learnt so much during the design and construction journey during these projects, so we were proud to share our experience and knowledge with our peers. The site tours were a humble reminder that architecture is more than just aesthetics. It directly influences the learning experiences for children and young people in ways that are often overlooked.

We would like to thank Learning Environments Australasia (LEA) organisers and Shaw Contract for the fun Awards Dinner.

We look forward to next year’s conference in Perth!

More about the projects:
C&K Oxley: https://www.giarola.com.au/projects/ck-oxley-childcare-centre
Mancel College: https://www.giarola.com.au/projects/mancel-college-building-1

The upcoming Learning Environment Australasia Conference will feature Giarola’s award winning C&K Oxley Childcare Centre and Mancel College GLA Building 1.

C&K Oxley resembles a three-storey tree-house above an imagined creek, which flows across and down the steeply sloping site, and incorporates elements that reference the cultural and indigenous history of the site and surrounding area.

Mancel College GLA Building 1 is the first landmark project in response to extensive and ongoing research into impacts of Language Disorder and Autism and how students navigate and interface with the built environment and the College’s innovative pedagogical approaches.

Join us at the Conference at Brisbane from 7 – 9 May 2025 to explore the innovative designs and challenges that may impact on the future of learning spaces.

More about the projects:
C&K Oxley: https://www.giarola.com.au/projects/ck-oxley-childcare-centre
Mancel College: https://www.giarola.com.au/projects/mancel-college-building-1

LEA Conference:
https://bccm.eventsair.com/2025-lea-association-for-learning-environments-australasia/

We would like to thank the Australian Institute of Architects Queensland Chapter jury members who visited Kallangur State School and Mancel College last week. Both projects were entered into the 2025 Queensland Architecture Awards Educational and Urban Design category respectively.

We look forward to finding out the result at the Greater Brisbane Regional Awards on 11 April 2025!

To find out more about the projects:
Kallangur SS: https://www.giarola.com.au/projects/kallangur-state-school-gla-building
Mancel College: https://www.giarola.com.au/projects/mancel-college-building-1



Photos:

Giarola has emerged from a big year of rebranding in 2024 that helped us clarify our mission and message, and we are excited to share our commitment to inclusive education with you, as we work together to create more welcoming spaces for students of all abilities.

To find out more, visit our new website, and check out our latest blog post.
https://www.giarola.com.au/news/giarola-architects-promotes-inclusivity-in-education-by-design

We are delighted that our project at Kallangur State School has won the 2024 Learning Environments Australasia QLD Chapter Award in New Building/s or Facility/s – Small (under $10M) category. We are proud to have worked with Queensland Department of Education and Honeywill Consulting to deliver this exceptional project and to be the only public school to win a LEA award.

The additional accommodation GLA building delivers refreshing, pioneering and inclusive layouts for a growing school population, that benefits all students.

Photographer // Cam Murchison Photography

We are humbled by the 🏅Commendation🏅 from Learning Environments Australasia - Queensland Awards 2022, for the category of Small Projects Value Under AU$2 Million 🥳

We would like to send a big thank you to Philip Sawers from the Department of Education and Honeywill Consulting for the opportunity to collaborate on the transformation of this learning space. 🤝👏 🙌

A special thank you to Nick Reddaway of Reddaway Media

This year threw a few curveballs to us all. However, we are able to close the year in a high note 👏 🙌 after winning 🥳 the Learning Environments Queensland Awards Learning Environments Australasia
We are humbled by their 🏆Commendation for Entire New Education Facility and overjoyed by their 🥇Award for Outdoor Learning Area 🥳

🙏We would like to send a big thank you to Jane Bourne and the whole team of C&K Oxley Childcare Centre C&K - The Creche & Kindergarten Association Limited for the opportunity of designing this community landmark.
We couldn't have achieve all these without the great work of our amazing design project team 🤝💪👏 🙌🙏

honeywill.com.au
FYI Design Pty Ltd
David Kearney and Associates
Highshots Photography
bspaus.com.au
s5consulting.com.au
acousticworks.com.au
vtce.com.au
soilsurveys.com.au
rjhs.com.au
DMA Engineers
blightanner.com.au
ttmgroup.com.au
ONF Surveyors
Steve Tarrant for his extraordinary Indigenous artwork 🎨🖌️🖼️

🙏A special thank you to Milton Dick MP for inaugurating the centre and to our Local Council and Local Community for embracing and supporting this community landmark.🙏

A big thank you to for featuring one of our projects closest to our hearts .
https://www.mbqld.com.au/news-and-publications/magazines/master-builder-magazine

Giarola Architects at the ACA event Howard Smith Wharves Tour & Celebration!

Thanks to and the ACA for a great night!