NORTH MELBOURNE PRIMARY SCHOOL STAGE 2 - North Melbourne VIC

Stage 2 of this master plan completes the north side of the school as master planned. A third stage (part of the Federal Government’s BER program is under construction.

Stage 2 comprises the completion of the refurbishment of an 1874 heritage building (west wing), the construction of a new building housing a multi-purpose hall / gymnasium and after school care facilities, and associated works. Located on the west side of a a hardstand quadrangle, the new building completes the containment of that major public space of the school while simultaneously addressing the artificial turfed oval to the north.
This natural amphitheatre is enhanced by multi-functional bleachers which ring the space, providing access to the surrounding buildings and opportunities to sit and observe the hardstand activities.

The work to the existing building restores the magnificent spaces towards their original configuration, erasing an earlier insensitive intervention. New work is differentiated from the old in the approved Burra Charter curatorial manner.
The new building is designed with a simple rectilinear floor plan cranked at the north end to inflect the building to its Stage 1 counterpart across the quadrangle. The rotated ridge line and level change along with the north crank adds a dynamic dimension to the building which it would otherwise lack. Between the multi-purpose hall and the after school space is a double functioning space which can be a stage for the hall or part of the after school program area. The hall has a glazed east wall with three large garage doors opening onto a covered way, bleachers and hardstand. When open, these doors connect the indoors and outdoors creating a large indoor-outdoor civic space.

The façade treatment (concrete and brick plinth, glazed walls, polychrome banded roofing and cladding, and polychrome gable-end CFC panels) is consistent with and speaks to both the preceding Stage 1 building and the 1874 polychrome brick heritage building.

Photography - John Gollings