The Greater Shepparton Secondary College, designed by Gray Puksand, is a highly functional and aesthetically strong institution that cements Greater Shepparton’s status as a leading regional educational precinct.
Built for the Victorian School Building Authority, the college consolidates four secondary schools into one 22,000 sqm facility. The $119 million build holds strong connections to the town and community with nine ‘houses’ and three ‘neighbourhoods’ that aim to promote connective environments for students who have moved from their separate schools into one inclusive space.
“The overarching concept for the Campus sees a little town, within its own bigger town. With students joining together from four schools, it was integral we sought to create a sense of community and a ‘home’ for varied groups to join as one,” says Gray Puksand Partner and GSSC design lead, Stephen Turner.
The exterior architecture of the campus features design motifs reminiscent of the region and township, with the fluid design of the campus channelling local Indigenous narratives. Yorta Yorta artist Tom Day and Bangerang artist Rebecca Atkinson were commissioned for the Campus artwork. The names of each school house, Biyala, Dharnya and Bayun are taken from the traditional Yorta Yorta and Bangerang dialects, that translate to Red River Gum, Grey Box and Red Box respectively.
“The design drew from the Greater Shepparton community and its surrounds, grounding the design with a strong sense of place. The natural elements of the local environment and farmland, Shepparton’s diverse multicultural community and the local indigenous culture provided inspiration for an intrinsic part of the interiors concept,” says Gray Puksand Interior Designer, Clare Jennings.
Turner says the practice sought to create a strong sense of place for the present as well as for sentimental value.
“Students have their own front door to their own house. It’s their ‘home at school’, a part of their own smaller ‘neighbourhood’ where they can feel a sense of belonging. This was a central component of the design to soften the student experience of suddenly being a part of such a large school that many aren’t, or weren’t, used to,” he says.
Each neighbourhood is colour coded, with robust and neutral materials implemented throughout both the interior and exterior. The colours ensure neighbourhoods are easily identified, with the pitched roofs of each ‘house’ embodying the local stone with moss, gum tree trunks and snow gums. The colours are witnessed on floors, ceilings and on campus graphics.
“The roofs – when combined on scale - create a silhouette of a town, composed together to see the oscillating features of the built form, acting as orientation points for the entire town,” says Turner.
“The earthy, subliminal tones of GSSC’s exterior please a number of considerations. Assimilating to its surrounds, the lighter hues of the ‘houses’ change throughout the day depending on the weather and reflectivity of the sun – just like you would see in the ever changing colours of the terrain and foliage. It also creates light, for an uplifting sense of space within the internal courtyard and heart of the campus.”
Quiet withdrawal nooks, individual study areas, small group collaborative spaces and large group settings throughout support a suite of learning styles. A learning resource centre (library), a canteen, tiered assembly area, as well as two rooftop gardens feature in the precinct for specialised outdoor learning. GSSC’s outdoor forecourt is so expansive it could easily fit Melbourne’s Federation Square.
The Enterprise and Innovation Centre and Physical Education Hub buildings serve as spaces where first rate school facilities and community involvement intersect. The Enterprise and Innovation Centre features specialist precincts for technology, performing and fine arts and sciences, and offers opportunities closely connected to local industry, tertiary institutions and trade training organisations for post-school pathways for students. The 2,400 sqm Physical Education Hub features two indoor competition-sized multi-game courts, fitness and weights rooms, movement studio and game strategy lab, multi-purpose learning studios and amenities.
The Greater Shepparton Secondary College was declared open at a ribbon cutting ceremony on 11 February. Integrating four schools into the one building, the College provides a home to Greater Shepparton youths that references the township and its rich history.
Images: Supplied
