The Knox School

The school engaged Sensa to transform an ageing café into a contemporary, light-filled destination that supports daily student use, staff connection and larger school events.

• Location Wantirna South, Victoria
• Industry Education
• Size 320 sqm

During the Discover phase, we worked closely with the school to understand how the café needed to perform throughout the day. The existing facility was tired, visually heavy and no longer suited the scale or expectations of the school community.

Key priorities included creating a welcoming café atmosphere rather than a traditional canteen, improving light and openness, and delivering a kitchen capable of catering for large numbers. The space also needed to encourage different modes of use, from quick breaks to longer social moments, while connecting seamlessly to outdoor areas.

The design response focused on openness, comfort and flexibility. A reconfigured layout improves circulation and sightlines, creating a strong visual connection between the café counter, seating zones and outdoor balconies. Floor-to-ceiling glazing brings in natural light and reinforces the café as a central gathering space.

Layered seating options support varied use. Curved modular banquette seating anchors the space and encourages informal connection, while a mix of tables, booths and high seating allows students and staff to choose how they occupy the space. Timber wall cladding adds warmth and texture, balancing the clean lines of the servery and kitchen.

Suspended planter boxes and integrated greenery introduce biophilic elements overhead, softening the volume and improving comfort. Acoustic panels are carefully integrated into the ceiling to manage noise without visual clutter, maintaining a calm atmosphere even during peak periods.

The commercial kitchen was fully redesigned and expanded, with equipment and finishes selected to support efficiency, durability and clear service flow.

We delivered the project as an end-to-end fitout, coordinating all interior and exterior works. This included new flooring, lighting, joinery, wall and ceiling finishes, café servery, commercial kitchen, change rooms, balcony breakout areas and external building cladding.

The delivery phase required close collaboration with the client and specialist vendors, particularly in resolving technical requirements for the kitchen and navigating access challenges during external works. Through careful planning and on-site problem solving, the project was delivered with a strong focus on build quality, functionality and long-term performance.