bjleh RARE blog

Surf Coast Secondary School

Design Brief

The objective of this brief is to create guidelines and design parameters for a proposed secondary college for years 10, 11 and 12 on the site adjacent to the Torquay primary school, which now houses the Surf Coast Shire Offices. The proposed school is to cater for approximately 400-500 students, which in effect would require provisions for 50-60 staff also. It is hoped that the school will not only provide quality education for the younger residents of the Surf Coast community, but also raise awareness of environmental, sustainable and ecological issues through integration of the students in related activities throughout the school.

A list of buildings and amenities has been compiled below to outline what forms need to be fitted onto the site. It is considered very important to offer opportunities in a variety of areas outside of purely academic subjects, these include; music; arts; cooking; sport; and environmental and sustainable activities. Participation at this school will not just prepare its students for life after school, it will encapsulate life during their time here.

Most of the list is what you would see in a conventional school, some are a little more progressive:

Science Wing

Gymnasium/ Concert Hall/ Community Hall

Music/ Arts Building

Library

Administration/ Staff Room (arts display in foyer)

Canteen

Various Classrooms

Bike Shed

Eco Centre

Recycling centre

Veggie Garden

Water lands or wildlife area

Car Park (shared between school and existing Child Care Centre)

It is to be noted that the existing Shire Office Buildings will be reused within the new Master Plan, unless it can be proven that replacement would incur less damage to the environment in terms of embodied energy and disposable waste.

Most of the children that would attend this secondary college would progress from the adjacent primary school; this would suggest that a strong connection should exist between these schools. A physical connection should exist in terms of egress (pathways between the respective schools) and aesthetics (compatible materials and maybe forms), a bond which helps create a spiritual bond that continues into the broader community. The new school should however hold and display its own identity, and signify that the children have indeed progressed to a different stage of their lives, a stage which requires different needs and wants.

The Surf Coast is one of Victoria’s major vacation destinations, its beaches and small town feel breeds a more relaxed Culture than the hustle and bustle of Melbourne. This relaxed and outdoor focus should not be lost in the design of the school layout and its buildings. This focus lends itself to a more generous proportion of outdoor learning spaces, these spaces should be a variety of sizes and shapes with a variety of cover from sun, wind and rain. These outdoor spaces should reflect the local flora and fauna, a theme which should also carry into materials and themes used throughout the school.

The temperate climate of the Surf Coast suggests that ‘thermal mass’ would be of use here, and provisions should be made to implement ‘thermal mass’ into some of the buildings. It is advised that Solar Panels be researched as a viable option for energy storage and use in place of mains grid power. North facing windows are also of vital importance to passively heat buildings within the school and should be implemented where possible. Cool Sea breezes in summer should also be utilized within the design, helping to reduce the use of energy driven cooling systems and carbon emissions. Rainfall on the Surf Coast produces a great opportunity for the school to become, on the most part, self sufficient in terms of water usage, and storage of water must be provided for. This water can be used for cleaning, toilet facilities, maintenance of gardens, maintenance of Water Lands, etc…

Transition between buildings and different parts of the school is an issue which needs to be considered; firstly in terms of flow and safety; secondly in terms of disabled access; and thirdly in terms of protection from the weather. Pathways should connect all major parts of the school, as well as connect the school to the greater community in an inviting and evocative way. All buildings should be accessible for underprivileged and disabled persons. And protection from the weather should be accomplished in a less intrusive manner than what exists currently at most Victorian schools.

Torquay primary school is a member of sustainable schools.com, and prides itself on its commitment to bringing the environment into the school, and its integration of such things as veggie gardens into the school yard. This approach instills values in its students at an early age, of the importance of sustainability within our community. It is important that this early contact with sustainability and environmental issues should be intensified as the students move to the next phase of their lives. This is why the new school should include such buildings or amenities as veggie gardens, an eco centre, recycling centre, bike sheds (to encourage less use of cars), and water lands that are fed by water catchment from the roof of the school. All of these serve to teach valuable lessons in accountability as much as sustainability and environmental awareness.