Blackfriars Priory School New Aquinas Centre

Signaling a new era for the college with the first new stand-alone building project on site since 1980, The Aquinas Centre sits proudly and confidently at the front of the campus on Prospect Road.

Designed with high levels of transparency, the building connects the school and its students to the community beyond.

With a focus on Senior Learning and a celebration of the visibility of learning through connection and transparency, the building provides a variety of learning spaces including: specialist laboratories, multipurpose project rooms, group ‘think-tanks’ and collaborative gather spaces encouraging staff and students to stay learn and connect with one another.

As the last few years have shown us, situations can change at a rapid pace and what we know today, may be different tomorrow. The Aquinas Centre has been designed to adapt to change in real time, providing a future-focused, agile teaching and learning environment to easily and quickly adjust and support changes in education.

Delivering a tertiary-style learning environment was an important design driver reinforcing the school’s belief in their senior learners and developing a sense of ownership and responsibility for the space.

The floorplate has been planned to encourage collaboration and self-directed learning, all while underpinned by a seamless approach to technology.

The result is a warm, welcoming and sophisticated learning environment.

The Aquinas Centre has invigorated the campus and provided the senior students a place to call their own, a space to pause, learn and connect, before embarking on their futures.