External Venetian Blinds at St Kevin's College | Shade Factor

Shade factor is a leading Australian specialist in custom-made, high-performance and long-lasting shading products for residential and commercial buildings. Motorised External Venetian Blinds from Shade Factor were used in the St Kevin’s College Junior Campus multi-purpose building, an educational facility located in Toorak, Australia. Conceived as a central hub for the campus, the new building brings together teaching spaces, administration and shared community areas while opening the school more generously to its street edge and surrounding landscape.

Designed by Chandler Architecture, the multi-purpose building redefines the arrival experience at St Kevin’s College by emphasizing transparency, safety and visual connection. Extensive areas of glazing introduce abundant natural light, while projecting upper-level windows frame treetop views and soften daylight. At ground level, a generous undercroft creates a sheltered gathering space for families during drop-off and pick-up, reinforcing the building’s civic presence. Internally, the reception area functions as a clear organisational anchor, with sightlines extending to classrooms, outdoor spaces, gates and playing fields, supporting intuitive wayfinding and passive supervision. A new landscaped courtyard alongside the existing Boyd Egan Hall further enhances campus connectivity, drawing light into older buildings and linking surrounding classrooms through new vertical circulation.

Given the extensive north and northeast-facing glazing, solar control was a critical design consideration. Chandler Architecture collaborated with Shade Factor to integrate motorised external venetian blinds that manage heat and glare while preserving outward views and daylight quality. Finished in Traffic White and operated via a Climatronic control system with a weather station, the blinds respond automatically to changing environmental conditions throughout the year. Discreetly integrated within steel window shrouds, the system enhances thermal comfort and energy performance while contributing to the depth, articulation and architectural clarity of the façade.