Architect’s words:
Substantially subterranean, the 1500 seat recital hall lies at the heart of the school and supports myriad external, landscaped, shaded and covered circulation and playground spaces.
At street level, two classrooms were demolished to provide construction access and create an entry foyer which leads to a glazed, naturally ventilated atrium. The space is activated day and night by classrooms on one side and a number of open stairwells on the other. These vertical axis connect 3 gallery levels below ground with adjacent classrooms and the rooftop playground, 3 levels above ground.
The facility was built from the top down to allow students’ use of their playground whilst construction activities continued underneath, an innovative approach to building on a highly sensitive and constrained site. Modular, prefabricated components were utilised and major construction activities were programmed during school holidays.
The new level playground replaces a series of impractical terraces and provides a regulation size competition basketball court, perimeter shaded seating and substantial planting which is utilised as part of the agriculture curriculum. The new, level playground surrounded by planting and perimeter buildings is in the tradition of the great universities and learning institutions.
Lined with exposed bedrock, the hall is a distinctive addition to the school and Sydney’s cast of performance venues. The materials palette is quintessentially Sydney and reflects the unique process of construction.
Exposed bedrock, bolted steel arches and exposed precast planks provide the pared, spartan framework that is lined with Australian hardwoods and ergonomically moulded plywood seating. The aesthetic respects and references the strong history of ‘Big School’ and heritage listed College Street frontage.
Technically the hall provides a high level of functional amenity; excellent sightlines, excellent acoustics for musical performances, variable acoustics to suit a variety of performances; good speech intelligibility for assemblies and the facility for video projection and recording.
The stage accommodates a symphony orchestra and is framed by a faceted hardwood acoustic reflector that provides early reflections to the musicians and conceals a number of stage lighting bars.
Overall the hall achieves a very high reverberation time most suitable for large scale 19th and 20th century orchestral works. At the stalls level, 5 rows of raked seating retract to provide a large flat floored area suitable for examinations, volleyball and social functions.
Supplementing the already temperate microclimate, the mechanical systems are designed to maximise exposure of intake air to the bedrock by way of a ‘thermal labyrinth’.
All services are integrated campus wide for efficiency and major plant is shared with the adjacent 800 seat drama theatre. Large highlight windows provide substantial day lighting and day to day activities within the hall can be supplemented by minimal task lighting.
Practice Team:
Andrew Andersons —Design Director
Troy Uleman — Design Associate
Sara Best — Project Architect
Consultant Team:
Context - Landscape Architect
Steensen Varming - Specialist Lighting
WT Partnership - Cost Planner / Quantity Surveyor
Taylor Thompson Whitting - Structural Engineer
Steensen Varming - Mechanical Engineer
Steensen Varming - Electrical & Data Engineer
Steensen Varming - Lift Services
GDK Hydraulics - Fire Services
GDK Hydraulics - Hydraulics Consultant
Grubits Associates - Fire Safety Engineering
Acoustic Studio - Acoustics Consultant
RTMi International — Theatre Consultant
Morris Goding Accessibility Consulting- Access Consultant
Steve Watson and Partners - BCA Consultant
Baseline Constructions — Construction Consultant
NBRS & Partners — Heritage
Cultural Resources Management — Archaeology
Geotechnical — Douglas Partners
Construction Team:
Southern Cross Projects - Construction Manager
Morgan Moore and Associates - Project Manager
