Designed by RTA Studio, the new, purpose-built Freemans Bay School has replaced its 1960s facilities. This modern collaborative learning environment is based on a series of open-plan classrooms catering for 500 students from families in the CBD and surrounding suburbs.

Innovative architecture in combination with new materials and technologies creates flexible spaces that suit a range of teaching practices and subjects. 

Embodying the school’s diverse cultural community, bold form-making and colour stories present an inspiring and imaginative learning environment for students and teachers alike. 

‘Colour is a relatively cost-effective way to bring a project to life,’ says project architect Moshin Mussa. ‘We used colour to reflect the school’s identity and also to enhance the architecture. We’ve had numerous comments from visitors and from community members on how striking the colours are.’

Blue for the sea, green for the forest, orange for sunrise, and red for earth are woven throughout the campus via exterior paint colours, Advance carpet tiles, acoustic ceiling tiles and the exposed structural steel. Creating a setting fit for learning, inquiry and creativity, the project won the top award in the Resene Total Colour Awards 2018.