Catholic Theological College

The design of the courtyard garden for the Catholic Theological College evolved through close collaboration with Greg Burgess Architects.

This linear courtyard space flanked by significant old and new college buildings uses a series of planted and architectural veils to heighten the sense of mystery and contemplation.

A continuous seat wall encircles the courtyard backed by an internal evergreen hedge. Patterned paving directs views to a central steel sculptural form containing a small fountain element.

Awards 2001 - AILA (Vic) Award of Commendation, Building Settings category.

In the move from their Monash University Campus the staff of the Catholic Theological College requested that their new building engage with the life and culture of the city, become a living expression of the aspirations and aims of the college, a representation the diverse expressions of Catholicism in today’s society as well as an inspiration for its unfolding identity in the middle of urban Melbourne. The challenge was heightened by the fact that the new building, the Thomas Carr Centre accommodating the Daniel Mannix Library, administration and office space, was to adjoin a tall 1870’s neo-Gothic building, housing the teaching spaces and a chapel.

The resultant design facilitates a dynamic complementarity between the old and the new. The stability and formality of the old contrasts with the fluidity of the new - the past and future are both alive in this new facility. A crisp, transparent connection links the buildings at two levels and allows the new to grow out of the old with respect and unity. From this point the fluid structure follows the site perimeter on the west and south boundaries and unfolds around its inner courtyard towards Eades Street it in a unifying powerful double curve - comprising many angles and many views – an imagination of an inclusive Catholic Culture.

Major Achievements 2001 Australian Property Institute, Heritage Property Award 2000 RAIA (VIC) Commendation: The Melbourne Prize. (The jury remarked it was “a major new addition to the architecture of urban Melbourne”.)