Illumination from linear, panels, battens and spotlights in Villanova College’s Learning Centre

A complex school built with no simple lighting answer

Villanova College’s new Learning Centre is a four-storey building in Brisbane. Built by Buildcorp and designed by Architectus, it opened with junior school classrooms on Level 1 and senior school spaces on Level 2. Both levels are built around how students learn. It focuses on rooms that support collaboration, problem-solving and independent thinking. Level 3 takes a different direction entirely. It houses a 120-seat auditorium purpose-built to replicate a university lecture environment.

Getting the school lighting right across a building this varied is not straightforward. A classroom needs something different from a covered walkway. A 120-seat auditorium has completely different requirements from a cleaners’ store. The school needed a lighting manufacturer who had experience with educational lighting. One who could specify and make the right luminaire for each space. And a supplier who could deliver to the Brisbane-based location.

Specified on the drawings and supplied without a hitch

Once Superlight received the drawings, we reviewed them and prepared our recommendations. We can draw on both our stocked range and our in-house manufacturing arm to create the right fit for each space. From there, we put together data sheets for every product and sent them to the contractors. This provided the technical detail they needed to give approval. Clear product information up front means fewer questions during the build.

On approval, we shipped products already in inventory from the warehouse. And manufactured any bespoke luminaires, like the custom-configured linear. We delivered lighting over the course of a year according to the building schedule. Our warehouse is able to hold stock so they are not damaged or lost on site. This is one of the reasons Superlight is a preferred supplier in Australia.

Less glare, less eye strain, and more focus across every level

The modern approach to learning spaces excels in considered lighting design. In the classrooms, the KLS440 and XT LED panels deliver flat, even illumination. Evenly spaced fixtures ensure no hot or cold spots. Students can read, write, and work on screens without adjusting where they sit. And this consistency means fewer interruptions and more focus. The auditorium on Level 3 called for a shift in approach. This is a formal, presentation-focused space, and the luminaires reflect that. The staggered lighting here uses surface-mounted linear lighting for each level.

In utility areas, the VXS and linear lighting handle dark rooms without a problem. Storage rooms, cleaners’ storage, and bathrooms are well-lit and low-maintenance. Undercover and exterior walkways installed linear and spotlights to follow safety standards. And the exterior amphitheatre and adjoining stairs use floodlights to ensure this too. The overall lighting is consistent from one end of the building to the other.

Further reading:

• Visit the Villanova College website
• View Buildcorp’s case study
• Read about the project on Architectus

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