Bunbury Primary School Lighthouse Renewal

The Bunbury Primary School community worked with Kent Lyon Architect to realise the concept of creating a unique project titled the “Lighthouse” which could be a template for converting an out of date 1960’s school into a contemporary campus for approximately 1/3 cost to the State Government. 

Project Details

Architects
Kent Lyon Architect Pty Ltd

Address
Lovegrove Avenue Bunbury, WA 6230 Australia

Submitter
Kent Lyon

Cost
$4,103,430 (ex GST & ex Fees)

Photographer
Robert Frith of Acorn

Project Overview

The conversion of an out of date 1960’s school into a contemporary campus for approximately 1/3 cost to the State Government brought the community together to evaluate what they valued in the existing campus and galvanised the role the school community in achieving the best outcome for the school. The unique project was titled the “Lighthouse” which could be a template for similar aged schools in the state.

The project is a series of smaller projects programmed over 4 stages (BER Buildings, Library, Classrooms & Administration Wing). The purpose in this method was to ensure the school remained operational throughout the construction. It was a project that required very close attention to both how the works were designed and utilised during a 2 1/4 year construction period.

A brief was established for the requirements and standards with the School, the Department of Education and Building Management & Works. The brief ultimately reflected the overall master planning of the School with consideration of the existing network of buildings and their functions. The overall goal was to unify the existing buildings together with the new through the arrangement of larger and more intimate courtyards and pathways, increasing accessibility and functionality. All buildings were assessed against the current standards within the Department of Education as well as BCA compliance, whereby each existing Classroom and the existing Administration Building was then extended, upgraded and refurbished to comply. The new Library was designed in accordance with the same current standards and requirements along with the existing site conditions and ultimate relationship with other buildings.

The design principals of orientation, shading, passive heating and cooling, insulation and rainwater storage were integrated into the design not just for the environmental rating of the overall school but for building comfort and contribution towards sustainability of the future built environment.

The materials were chosen not only to integrate with the language of the existing buildings but to further enhance and update the overall aesthetics of the School. The embodied energy and waste minimisation of all materials were carefully considered to contribute to the sustainable aspect of the design.