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himmelzimmer is an architectural design practice in Melbourne Australia and Brighton UK
dedicated to investigating an architecture that evolves from a continuous dialogue of
imaginative and practical thinking.

As a studio we need to be able to define what building/design we aspire to the most:
For us this is ‘a room in the sky’, a ‘himmelzimmer’.

From its open window we can see the endless sky encouraging us that our ideas should be
dream-like without boundaries. With its window closed we can focus on the work on our desk
in front of us, the technical delivery of our ideas.

All our designs evolve from the dialogue of these two perspectives which are both essential
in the delivery of well-executed buildings that inspire and transcend the ordinary.

Our work is at its most successful where our window to the world is in a constant state of
in-between, where it is simultaneously closed and open.

We started in 2003 as studio505.
Following studio505’s closure in 2016 we are continuing our work as himmelzimmer

As a studio we need to be able to define what building/design we aspire to the most:
For us this is ‘a room in the sky’, a ‘himmelzimmer’.

All our designs evolve from the dialogue of these two perspectives which are both essential
in the delivery of well-executed buildings that inspire and transcend the ordinary.

Our work is at its most successful where our window to the world is in a constant state of
in-between, where it is simultaneously closed and open.

We started in 2003 as studio505.
Following studio505’s closure in 2016 we are continuing our work as himmelzimmer

designing your home for independence

uk + australia

drouin primary school

drouin, victoria, australia

nanyang primary school

singapore

norwood secondary college

melbourne, australia

watsonia primary school

melbourne, australia

watsonia primary school

melbourne, australia

architect

himmelzimmer

completion date

Early 2024

client

VSBA

cost

Undisclosed

visuals

Emre Icdem - Himmelzimmer

Watsonia Primary School is set amongst the leafy suburb of Watsonia, 20 km northeast Melbourne. The project proposed to improve the facilities and increase the appeal of the Primary School to prospective students so that enrollment is increased to match the influx of younger families into the surrounding area. This project forms Stage 2 of an overall masterplan, and focuses on connecting the classrooms to the outdoors as well as improving the internal spaces, built form, and general connections between buildings and outdoor spaces.

Given the existing conditions it was of particular importance to the project that the new facilities for the school were organised as an assembled community of spaces in coordination within the separately planned works to the external landscape. The project team has adeptly navigated the challenge of providing continued operational requirements of the school during the construction phase, alongside the overall design strategy and integration of the existing buildings together.

The project involves the creation of a combined new single level teaching environment connecting both new and existing teaching facilities, the redesign and rebuilding of a standalone flexible modern classroom block, the refurbishment of existing common facilities, as well as the creation of a new centralised landscape to serve as a new student entrance to the site. The new level landscape provides an inspiring environment for outdoor teaching and breakout spaces, allows ease of access for all, and ties the two main school buildings together cohesively.

The project creates a vastly improved student learning environment which seeks to strengthen and enhance the student experiences on site. We are excited to see this project being utilised to its full potential now with students and staff on site, and the strength of the connection achieved between the refurbished Block A and the new Block C.