MIC’s vision is to be a green school, responding to the unique assets and ecological constraints of the site, whereby the place becomes a learning resource for children and the community. Due to MIC’s ecologically sustainable development goals, the new school was designated as a Queensland Government Green Door project, where a memorandum of understanding between the State, Sunshine Coast Council and applicant was signed to collaboratively assess the planning application.

MIC relocated its school campus from Sippy Downs to Forest Glen to enable its ecologically sustainable growth over land it owned rather than commercially rented. This shift allows a deep and holistic engagement within the locale’s community and natural environment. Reflecting Dr Maria Montessori’s respect and wonder for the cosmos through careful design; the mission is to create an eco-efficient built environment that exhibits order, beauty and innovation within its places of learning.

Frugal architecture sought to leverage multi-faceted outcomes (triple-bottom-line) with each tactical decision to ensure the spatial programme was met within a low cost budget.

During the early planning phase a series of co-design workshops and an Art+Place charrette engaged the MIC community (children, parents and teachers) to define the place vision and eco-design strategies to be used by the design team.