Stage 01
Glengala Sunshine West Primary School
In response to the outdated and inefficient portable classrooms of the 1950s and ’60s, Archimods: a modular innovation platform developed by Angelucci Architects, delivers a new generation of prefabricated learning environments that are intelligent, flexible, and future-ready
Stage 01 Glengala Primary School
Architects: Angelucci Architects,
Contractor: VSBA
Prefabricator: Grove Group
Project Manager: Sensum
Photographer: Square Photography
Materials:
Armstrong (vinyls),
Godfrey Hirst (carpet),
Colorbond (metal cladding),
Polytec (laminates),
Modwood (deck),
Autex Vertiface (acoustic panels).
Commissioned by theVictorian School Building Authority (VSBA), this project at Glengala Primary School redefines what a portable school building can be. Built off site and installed within just 10 months, the design significantly reduces construction timelines while enhancing student experience and educational outcomes.
The Glengala design features four interlinked classrooms and a central multi-purpose learning space, all arranged around a triangular courtyard that anchors the composition. North-facing decks open to established gum trees, while an outdoor amphitheatre to the south offers an informal gathering space and performance zone.Deep-set picture windows double as seating, fostering indoor-outdoor connection and passive engagement with the landscape.
Rooted in Enza Angelucci’s postgraduate research at RMIT University and informed by the work of academic Clare Newton on "future-proofing" schools, the patented Archimod system uses a modular grid of squares and triangles to allow infinite adaptability. Every school layout is uniquely configured to site and pedagogical needs.
Materials include Weathertex (Australian timber offcuts in resin),Colorbond cladding, and Barestone fibre cement sheeting—robust, low-maintenance, and sustainable. Internally, the learning spaces feature tiered seating, acoustic felt-lined walls, writable whiteboard surfaces, and breakout nooks for quiet retreat.
The result is a light-filled, acoustically tuned, and highly functional learning hub that exceeds the limitations of traditional portables. With the ability to reconfigure and reuse modules, this system is ideal for rapidly growing or evolving school communities, particularly in emerging greenfield suburbs.
Glengala Primary School is one of seven off site projects delivered across Victoria, each a proof point for what modular education infrastructure can become when architecture leads innovation.
Glengala Primary School
Location:Sunshine West, Victoria
Completed: 2018
