Architects May + Russell designed the original Franklin Early Childhood School to provide childcare and schooling from preschool to year 2. The school opened in 2013 and its design received national recognition in the 2015 Learning Environments awards.

After a recently completed $29.5 million expansion the Franklin School has become a full primary school with preschool and childcare services. The school now offers an additional 450 places to meet the growing community’s requirements for local primary and early childhood services.

May + Russell in association with Brand Architects, returned to design the school’s expansion, adding two new double-storey learning centres, a school and community hall and gymnasium, a staff lounge and work/conference area and a learning space dedicated to science, technology, engineering, arts and maths. The landscaping of the expanded school includes a synthetic grass sports field.

Eamon O’Donoghue from May + Russell says Canberra’s climate extremes mean double glazing is vital to control internal environments.

“It’s rare to find any new building in Canberra without double glazing.”

Moreover, Mr. O’Donoghue says children need environmentally intelligent settings with comfortable internal temperatures, abundant natural light, and fresh air to learn well.

“We needed to accommodate learning communities in comfort, managing external temperature extremes from minus six degrees to over 40 degrees,” he says.