Practical and artistic, creative and cost-effective, this new shelter provides for its mixed usage needs while also creating a new aesthetic for the school and its surrounds.

The perforated metal roofing and staggered steel wall presents a simple yet bold two-tone pattern of black on white on structural framing - with highlights of yellow. The new building’s dramatic presence has made it a new landmark for the regional community.

IN BRIEF

Redevelop a previously underutilised area of the school into a multipurpose outdoor covered area suitable for sports training and recreational play, community functions and student performances, all of which could be held during the day and the night. Creatively meet the challenges with Building Education Revolution (BER) funding.

ARCHITECT’S WORDS

The Caritas College Junior School External Covered Area is the first major project to be implemented after Tridente Architects was engaged to master plan the entire Caritas College campus. This major study was undertaken by the twenty year old college to accommodate the increase in demand envisaged as a result of the current investment in mining in the south central region of Australia.

The built form provides a new external student hub, a centre for the college’s external activity and linkages to the new circulation patterns and spaces allocated in the master plan.

Due to the requirements set by the federal funding authority under the BER, consideration was given to construction techniques and material selection which would reduce the construction period on site. To this end, the cladding utilises a unique steel profile Aramax 800A100 which has structural properties allowing for exceptionally long spans without secondary support.

The choice of this material alone reduced the amount of structural steel required and reduced onsite labour to ensure that the project was cost effective.

The integrity of the structure system that has been adopted has resulted in a robust tectonic form that rises to connect with the existing environs. To the north facade the vertical sheets are rhythmically spaced with subtle variation, hinting at a relationship to adjacent music classrooms and providing shelter from the prevailing winds whilst maintaining visual connection to activities on the sports field beyond.

ACCOLADES

  • AIA South Australia Architecture Awards, Jack McConnell Award for Public Architecture 2011
  • AIA National Architecture Awards, Steel Architecture, (Commendation) 2011

PRODUCTS

MAIN STRUCTURE
BLUESCOPE STEEL

ROOF
ARAMAX, ROOF AND WALL CLADDING
RICHARDSON, PERFORATED METAL

FLOORING
TUDOR PAVING, GROUND FLOOR LOBBY
PLEXIPAVE, SPORTS COURTS
PRESIGE SPORTS & EARTHMOVING

LIGHTING
INLITE