St Catherine’s School

The Alexandria at St Catherine’s School in Toorak brings together learning, music, performance and community spaces in a highly detailed architectural setting. Sculptform features across approximately 75% of the building, with wood battens, aluminum cladding and interior lining boards used to create a cohesive material palette. The result combines natural wood, stone and metal finishes with the durability required for a busy school environment. A Complex Vaulted Ceiling in Natural Woodhe Wintergarden common area features one of the project’s defining elements, a vaulted wood ceiling that transitions seamlessly from inside to outside. American Oak battens were used across the interior ceiling, while Grandis battens were coated to match the American Oak finish on the exterior soffit. This creates visual continuity across the transition while allowing the material selection to respond to the different environments. The most complex part of the design was where the curved battens met the angled, chamfered ends of each vault. Achieving clean mitered joints across this geometry required detailed coordination between McIldowie Partners, Maben, Comcraft and Sculptform. Rather than simplifying the detail, the team explored multiple options before developing the most complex version of the design. From Design Intent to Built DetailSculptform was involved throughout the process, from design workshops and material selection through to prototyping on site. Samples and prototypes were particularly important in testing the finish, geometry and detailing before installation. This collaborative process helped resolve the complex vaulted ceiling while keeping the finished result true to the original design intent. Acoustic Wood Slat Walls Designed for PerformanceThe recital hall presented a different challenge. Its feature ceiling included large concave forms, which can create acoustic issues by focusing and reflecting sound. Rather than treating the walls and ceiling separately, the acoustic design considered both surfaces together to achieve the required acoustic criteria for a rehearsal and performance space. This is where the flexibility of Sculptform became particularly valuable. Working closely with McIldowie Partners and Resonate Consultants, Sculptform developed a varied batten pattern that could provide greater diffusion in key areas while incorporating acoustic backing behind the battens for absorption. The different profiles also created visual variation across the walls, allowing the acoustic treatment to become part of the architectural expression rather than something applied separately. Making a Complex Installation More EfficientThe complex batten layout of the recital hall was broken up into an installation sequence that worked within Sculptform’s 3m track lengths, with the batten locations coordinated to maintain the correct clip centers. A dedicated shop drawing assigned a letter to each batten and showed the approved sequence. Sculptform then used this information to produce the corresponding tracks and battens. Once it came time for installation, Jacaranda printed these drawings and stuck them on each wall so they could easily follow the sequence. Designed for a Busy School EnvironmentWith St Catherine’s School closely involved in material selection, durability and long-term performance were key considerations alongside the architectural vision. As a high-traffic area, the Wintergarden needed finishes that could withstand daily use without demanding ongoing maintenance. Natural wood and hard-wearing aluminum were chosen for their durability and long-term performance, while bringing warmth and character to the space. This combination comes together in the American Oak Dome Click-on Battens across the Wintergarden walls and bronze flute anodized Click-on Cladding to the corridors, which adds a complementary metallic finish. Extending the Design LanguageThe balance between performance and design continues throughout The Alexandria, with carefully selected profiles and finishes giving each space its own character. In the acoustically optimized rehearsal room, block Click-on Battens with a rich mocha coating create a calm, focused atmosphere, while wall-washing lighting accentuates their depth and texture. Block profiles carry through to the tuition room walls and operating panels, maintaining a consistent finish across fixed and moving elements. Flute interior lining boards introduce a contrasting linear profile, catching light and shadow against the neutral tones selected by McIldowie Partners.