Size: 820 sqm (building)
Status: Completed March 2011
Accommodation:General Purpose Classrooms, Office, Meeting Rooms, IT Centre, Library, Multi Media, Canteen, and new Student Amenities Block
It’s not often that a primary school is provided with the opportunity to create uniquely designed and much needed learning facilities. For Chilwell Primary School, an 1878 school that has a permanent enrolment of nearly 350 students, this is exactly what has happened.
Under the $14.06 billion Federal Government Primary Schools for the 21st Century element, Chilwell Primary School was approved for a Round 3 non-template project up to the value of $2.5 million. Working to strict design, documentation and consultant co-ordination delivery timeframes, Third Ecology put the project out to tender to ensure that all work is completed by March 2011.
The brief given to Third Ecology was complex and multi faceted. Three master plan options were presented for approval by School Council, with the adopted design concept focusing on the construction of a new 2 storey building facing Huntington Street.
Key functional elements include:
> upper level learning studio /home base for 4 senior school class groups with shared resources
> the creation of flexible open plan library with integrated staff area and multi-media
> purpose built ICT room that can also be adapted into a lecture type facility for future use
> a building design to contextualise and compliment the site and its significant heritage listed original building, rather than to present a ‘faux mimicry’ of a former building style
Key sustainability features include:
> optimal daylight penetration and winter solar gain/summer shading, high indoor air quality and acoustic performance
> building materials selected based on environmental
consideration (for the life of the material) including maintenance, durability, thermal mass, non toxic, low VOCs
> incorporation of high energy and water efficiency fittings and fixtures
> 20,000 litre underground rainwater system