Padua College opens its Whyte Senior Learning Centre

Padua College officially opened their new Whyte Senior Learning Centre, marking the first stage of their Mornington Campus redevelopment as part of the masterplan developed by Baldasso Cortese in 2016.

The Archbishop of Melbourne, Most Reverend Peter Comensoli blessed the building, welcoming the students to the new facility, whilst commending them to always prefer ‘mercy over justice’.

The outdoor ceremony took place in their new vibrant courtyard adjacent to the building, with students forming a musical ensemble performing from the balcony above.

During the ceremony, a new bronze sculpture was unveiled for the school, ‘Sisters and Kindred Spirits’ by artist Jenny Steiner.

The sculpture depicts the Whyte sisters from the Sisters of Mercy Order pondering over the first plans of the school, and offering hospitality rendered in cups of tea placed in front of them.

Padua’s new building contains a 260-seat lecture theatre, 18 new classrooms, an exam room, seminar spaces, senior school reception, staff offices and work areas, amenities, and has an overhead link to the existing administration building.

The new facility was inspired by the bridges of Padua and is a significant departure from the existing aesthetic of the campus, whilst remaining a physical metaphor of the bridges between secondary and further education.

The Whyte Learning Centre was constructed by DEVCO Project & Construction Management Pty Ltd and has been occupied by the school since March 2019