Absorbent Minds Montessori Early Education

Rohrig was tasked with building the Absorbent Minds Montessori Early Education at Burpengary, Queensland, an eco-friendly learning oasis. The new child care centre brings the unique community-focused Montessori learning experience to the high-growth Burpengary region.

Rohrig originally tendered and won the early works package, subsequently winning the main works. We commenced with the early works project to prepare the greenfield site, filled with trees and retaining walls, clearing and shaping the land for the exciting development.

The architectural vision for this project was brought to life by Towill Design Group who were guided by the Montessori principle that nature should be used to inspire children. The sun-filled building was constructed sustainably, using a mix of eco-friendly and recycled products — offering children an intimate awareness of nature-focused design.

The building was initially designed to use recycled timber and trusses, however, due to material shortages, we worked with Towill Design Group to move to a steel structure. Despite the shift from timber to steel, the exterior of the building retained its initial design intent. This was made possible through the considered use of timber-look metal cladding and, importantly, we were able to retain the use of eco-friendly and recycled materials throughout the build process.

The building fuses a clean, modern design with alternative construction material choices, and features a commercial kitchen, café, classrooms, offices, spacious decks, landscaped play areas, and a carpark. Once outside, non-linear ‘sensory pathways’ snake through the site, promoting sensory awareness in the children attending the childcare centre.

We had to include a large sewer facility, on site, due to the building not being connected to town sewage. Due to being situated in a flood zone, the building design was high-set and required a bespoke piling system to mitigate flood damage. The piling system also manages the reactivity of the ground below, due to the presence of subterranean water tables.

The childcare was well received upon completion, offering staff and children a nature-filled, ecologically-minded learning environment.