Situated in the Melbourne suburb of Ormond, Kilvington Grammar School has been closely guided by its values and character virtues since it was founded in 1923. The School also boasts a rich history through its connections to past generations of students and their families. HeineJones worked with the School to amplify these attributes in a dynamic and impactful visual installation, targeting the entire School community, including new and prospective students and their families.

The project presented a number of challenges. Several possible locations at Kilvington Grammar School were selected for this project. All of the locations, situated inside school buildings, varied greatly in age, purpose and area. An analysis and evaluation process of each location was a necessary first step resulting in the School’s new sports centre selected as the location for the first of a number of installations.

The design had to appeal to a wide range of people, most importantly students who ranged in age from early learning students to senior students. Through a series of rigorous discovery workshops with School stakeholders which included parents, staff and students, it was clear there was a strong desire for the School community, in particular the students, to be able to contribute to the design outcome in an ongoing way.

This presented the challenge of how to seamlessly integrate student involvement while ensuring the outcome had visual continuity and gravitas.

It was essential the design outcome referenced the aspirational values of the School and was contextually relevant to the sport centre environment. The solution provides a canvas for students to leave their mark by way of contributing messages to the display. At a distance, large vibrant green words boldly announce the aspirational statement – ‘Chase the Extraordinary’, an academic aspiration and measure of character embraced by the School. Upon closer inspection, the letters contain hundreds of balls with messages of encouragement, inspiration and advice written by senior students to their younger peers and the entire School community. The contribution by the students establishes a new tradition at Kilvington congruent with the spirit of sharing and cooperation which is central to life at the School.

Completed in December 2019, the project was delivered on budget and in time for the new school year, the successful design gained the support of the School community and ensured the continuation of the installation program at the School. The design aligns with the School’s brand, culture and values and through the ongoing contribution of the students, will ensure its relevance for many years to come.