Brisbane Girls Grammar School
Creative Learning Centre
In 2003, in the world of secondary schools, this was an ambitious building – eight floors, home to Music, Drama, Design Technology, Art, Staff and Cafeteria, traversing around 20m of cross fall. Due to the multiplicitous nature of the brief and the complexity of the land, the concept ‘making connections’ emerged.
Block Universe
By Daniel Crooks
2026, 16:9, 4K, Stereo
Sound and Music: Byron Scullin
06:51 minutes
(Translation #01 — Brisbane Girls Grammar School Cherrell Hirst Creative Learning Centre)
more info
Within the school, the result is an Escher-esque 3D network of circulation and socialisation, connecting disciplines, topography, history and people.
M. C. Escher, Relativity, Lithograph 1953
 
Info
Client:
Brisbane Girls Grammar School
Location:
Land of Turrbal and Jagera peoples
Spring Hill
Size:
9000 m²
Status:
completed
Typology:
Education
Quotes
This is a breathtaking building from every vantage. A dynamic learning place for girls reflects the client’s depth of knowledge regarding links between socialisation patterns and girls’ education . . . Externally, this is large scale urban art, the animated moire screen enlivening a city arterial in a way no billboard ever could!
Cherrell Hirst, RAIA Jury Citation
As a result of the building's exceptional design and m3architecture's willingness to consult widely with staff, the new pedagogic approaches inspired by the building have resulted in teaching and learning activities and progranmes which have exceeded the School's expectations.
Dr Amanda Bell OAM School Principal
In my experience it is rare to find an architectural practice that can pair extremely creative design concepts with effective and pragmatic design solutions. Even rarer is one that then has the capability to provide the level of comprehensive and coordinated Detail Documentation that we have come to expect from m3.
Michael Cilento, Design Manager Lend Lease
... congratulations on your outstanding contribution toward the architectural development of Queensland's rich history.
Anna Bligh, Premier of Queensland.
Cited
Awards:

2008 AIA Queensland Architecture Awards: FDG Stanley Award for Public Architecture: Cherrell Hirst Creative Learning Centre, Brisbane Girls Grammar School

2008 AIA Queensland Architecture Awards: State Commendation – Interior Architecture: Cherrell Hirst Creative Learning Centre, Brisbane Girls Grammar School

2008 AIA National Architecture Awards: Sir Zelman Cowan Prize for Public Architecture: Cherrell Hirst Creative Learning Centre, Brisbane Girls Grammar School

Publications:

2007 BGGS Creative Learning Centre, in, Kaji-O’Grady, S. 2007. Brisbane Girls Grammar. Architecture Australia, Vol. 96  (Issue 5): pp. 84-93.

2009 ‘Brisbane Girls Grammar School Creative Learning Centre’ in The Architectural Review (UK) Gregory, R. 2009. Brisbane Girls Grammar School Creative Learning Centre. The Architectural Review Vol. 1351: 56-57

Exhibitions:

2006 ‘Art Movement’ Exhibition, held at UTS Gallery, Sydney. 27 June to 28 July 2006. Curated by Ricardo Felipe. BGGS Creative Learning Centre.

2005 RAIA ‘Marvels’ Exhibition of built and unbuilt work, held at William St, Brisbane. 28 October to 2 November 2005. BGGS Creative Learning Centre, ANU Bike Shelters, and, Yeppoon Apartments (with Brian Hooper Architect).

The building is cut away at eye level on the axis of symmetry of Main Building reconciling competing site geometries and visually connecting the central garden to Victoria Park beyond.
Beyond the school, the west wall engages the city – an 8 second 70 Km/h experience for commuters on the Inner City Bypass. The superimposition of a battened sunscreen on a striped façade creates a motile curvelinear interference pattern mesmerising to people in motion.
Internally, the building is versatile and flexible – a concrete frame with a grid based on a generous teaching module. Spaces are defined and lined according to function, and able to adapt with time as required.
In breaking with tradition, the building established a contemporary idiom instrumental in redefining the internal and external perception of the school