Watsonia North Primary School

New Build - Senior School Building


Our journey with Watsonia North Primary School began with a comprehensive, full-campus masterplan in late 2021. We’re proud to share that Stage 1 of that masterplan – a new Senior School Building for Grades 5 and 6 – was completed in time for classes to begin in January 2025.

The new building includes a central informal learning area that connects a series of six classrooms, each paired to enable flexible team teaching. It also features a purpose-built STEAM workshop, staff workspace, small group learning room, and gender-neutral amenities, all designed to support connection, curiosity, and care.

  • Watsonia North Primary School is a popular and growing school which had reached its capacity.

    “The school’s vision and intended purpose is to provide a caring, stimulating, and dynamic learning environment where children become literate, numerate, and curious. The school aims to maximise student potential in a safe and caring community in which academic achievement, positive self-esteem, cultural diversity, and the rights of all are highly valued and respected.” - Watsonia North Primary School, Asset Management Plan 1 (AMP1)

  • The tree cutout symbolises the Manna Gum, a culturally significant tree to the local Wurundjeri People. The Wurundjeri People take their name from their Woiwurrung language word ‘Wurun’ meaning the Manna Gum (Eucaluptus viminalis) which is common along ‘Birrarung’ (Yarra River), and ‘djeri’, the grub which is found in or near the tree.

    The “leaves” of the tree are Eagle Lightings’ Arin pendant which provides a valuable contribution to both the lighting and acoustics of the room. The wall cladding is Gold GreenTag Certified Weathertex which is contributing a tactile element to the space - echoes the vertical lines of the bush (think Arthur Boyd’s Great Hall Tapestry) - and is a sustainable alternative to plasterboard.

    Beautiful, functional, and locally made.

  • Consultants
    Bridge Building Surveyors
    Spencer Group Engineering
    Cortese Consultants
    Renzo Tonin & Associates
    GreenRate
    All Spatial Land Surveyors
    Ochre Landscape

    Builder
    GRN Built

    Key Suppliers
    Autex Australia
    Weathertex
    Woods Furniture

    Designed in conjunction with Reduct Architecture.

    Watsonia North, Melbourne
    Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Land
    Banyule City Council

Featured by:

“It’s a really special moment when children walk in and immediately connect with something that feels both calm and important. The Manna Gum is a beautiful way to honour the land we’re on.”

Sarah Pollnitz, Principal
Watsonia North Primary School

The newly completed Senior School building at Watsonia North Primary School reflects the school’s values of collaboration, inclusivity, and respect for Country. Designed by Whisker Architecture, the project was developed in close consultation with staff and leadership, ensuring that every element of the design supported their educational vision.

  • During stakeholder engagement workshops, the building layout was refined to meet staff priorities. One key outcome was ensuring that all classrooms allow for both team teaching and independent learning – a flexibility that has proven vital to the way this school operates.

    “For us, it was really important that our teachers could teach collaboratively when needed, but also have the option to work independently. Whisker Architecture helped us create those opportunities in every learning space.” – Principal, Watsonia North Primary School

    An example of this thinking in action is seen in two adjacent classrooms, one led by a graduate teacher and the other by a more experienced mentor. This adjacency enables informal and formal learning opportunities for staff – a powerful model for professional development.

    “Sometimes the most powerful learning happens by osmosis – by watching great practice right next door.” – Principal, Watsonia North Primary School

  • The staff work area has been intentionally designed to promote collaboration and connection. A large boardroom-style table anchors the space, encouraging active discussion and teamwork, while quieter corners allow for individual focus when needed.

    “We’ve been really intentional about how we use our staff spaces. This new building supports collaboration while giving people the flexibility to work in the way that suits them best.” – Principal, Watsonia North Primary School

  • Across the open-plan learning zones and circulation spaces, Autex Acoustics® Groove Panels were selected to support both visual identity and acoustic control. The panels frame a striking central tree motif – the Manna Gum – chosen for its cultural significance on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung land.

    “It’s a really special moment when children walk in and immediately connect with something that feels both calm and important. The Manna Gum is a beautiful way to honour the land we’re on.” – Principal, Watsonia North Primary School

  • This project demonstrates the school’s commitment to nurturing a thriving learning community. Every decision – from acoustic treatment to furniture layout to symbolic artwork – was shaped to support students and educators now and for generations to come.

“For us, it was really important that our teachers could teach collaboratively when needed, but also have the option to work independently. Whisker Architecture helped us create those opportunities in every learning space.”

Sarah Pollnitz, Principal
Watsonia North Primary School

Modern school building with students walking outside on a sunny day
School children in uniforms walking and sitting outside a modern school building with a wooden pergola, clear sky, and surrounding greenery.
School building exterior with pathway, landscaping, and students walking. Trees and plants surround the area under a partly cloudy sky.
Science classroom with students in maroon uniforms seated at tables, writing. Modern interior design with light-colored wood cabinets, large windows, and ceiling fans.
Modern science classroom display storage area with wood cabinets and glass-front shelving, containing books and decor items, in a room with green and white walls.
Students walking in a school hallway with classrooms visible through windows.
Eucalyptus-inspired mood board

The Wurundjeri People take their name from their Woiwurrung language word ‘Wurun’ meaning the Manna Gum (Eucalyptus viminalis) which is common along ‘Birrarung’ (Yarra River), and ‘djeri‘, the grub which is found in or near the tree.

We pay our respects to the Wurundjeri people and their elders - past, present and emerging.

Modern classroom with students in uniform sitting at tables, red accent walls, and carpet flooring.
Modern classroom interior with students in uniforms working at tables.
Children in school uniforms sitting in a classroom with tables and a yellow window seat. Two children are sitting by the window reading. Large windows provide natural light.
Modern classroom interior with children working at tables
Modern classroom with curved desks, blue chairs, and yellow shelving units.
Modern classroom with tables, chairs, and shelving, featuring natural light from large windows and a glass door dividing sections.
A teacher engaging in a lesson with seated students in red uniforms in a modern school hallway.

“Giving a voice to students and teachers through stakeholder engagement workshops has resulted in a robust design outcome that responds to the priorities of the school.”

Audrey Whisker

Home Sketch by Whisker Architecture

Pedagogy and Space

The building is designed to provide a variety of learning settings - enabling teachers to choose the space that best suits their cohorts needs, their teaching style and the pedagogical vision of the school.

Educators in our stakeholder workshops requested paired classrooms with connecting glass sliding doors. This provides autonomy to the teachers to team teach or teach individually as appropriate.

All classrooms have a quiet reflection nook, storage, display and access to technology and the outdoors. The building also sports a new STEM workshop which will enable a wide range of specialist and messy activity learning.

The central presentation space provides space for large group gatherings as well as a small messy activity area.

This project was designed with input from staff, students, school council, the local Wurundjeri council, and representatives from the Department of Education.

Render vs Reality

From first concepts to final completion, we pride ourselves on clarity.
These side-by-side comparisons show just how closely our initial design renders align with the built result - a testament to the strength of our communication, coordination, and visualisation tools.
And with each passing year, as rendering technology improves, so too does our ability to present the vision with even greater accuracy and confidence.

Modern gender neutral school toilets with sinks, mirrors, and wooden stalls, featuring green and beige walls, and natural lighting.

“Gender neutral toilets are not the only amenities design option, but we believe they should be available on campus for those who will benefit from them.”

Audrey Whisker

Not Just For LGBTQI Students

The Building Code of Australia does not allow for unisex toilets (other than accessible toilets). All toilets are required to be gender specific. Currently unisex toilets require a Performance Solution Application justifying compliance with the performance provision (FP2.1).

Some students do not feel comfortable using gender specific toilets, toilets with shared washbasin areas, or toilets without full-height cubicles. This may be because of discrimination, gender-dysphoria, bullying, or adjusting to menstruation.

Whisker Architecture endorse the provision of gender-neutral toilets as part of our designs. The cubicles are full height and provide safe and inclusive access to amenities in line with our values. We have designed solutions with shared washbasins (as shown above) as well as fully enclosed individual toilets with their own individual washbasin.

Gender-neutral WCs allow all students to have a more inclusive school experience. Gender-neutral toilets reduce the risk of bullying, provide amenity for newly menstruating girls to have greater privacy, and give members of the LGBTQIA+ community to have access to inclusive amenity choices. They are not the only amenities design option, but we believe they should be available on campus for those who will benefit from them.

We look forward to discussing this further with any school we work with.

“1 in 10 LGBTQI students did not use the toilets”

Safe Schools Guide to Making Your School Safe and Inclusive for LGBTQI Students, Department of Education & Training, Victoria

“School toilets have been identified by sexuality and gender diverse (SGD) students as the least safe spaces in educational institutions. They are sites of verbal, physical and sexual victimisation. Providing gender-neutral toilets in primary and secondary schools may reduce the bullying and victimisation of SGD students, particularly those who are transgender or gender-diverse.”

Francis, J., Sachan, P., Waters, Z., Trapp, G., Pearce, N., Burns, S., Lin, A., & Cross, D. (2022). Gender-Neutral Toilets: A Qualitative Exploration of Inclusive School Environments for Sexuality and Gender Diverse Youth in Western Australia. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(16), 10089. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191610089