Frankston Heights New Intermediate Homestead

The Intermediate Homestead Building was part of a larger school masterplan which involved partial demolition, partial renovation and new construction. The older school was transformed by creating a central activity plaza with buildings placed around it in the spirit of a village. 

Project Details

Architects
Centrum Architects

Award
Commendation Category 2: New Construction / New Individual Facility

Address
Kalmia Street Frankston, Victoria 3199 Australia

Submitter
Ken Charles

Cost
$1,960,000

Photographer
Mark Fergus

Project Overview

The existing building stock, mainly 1960’s LTCs, had significant maintenance issues including leaking roofs, uneven floors, deteriorating cladding, deteriorating timber windows etc. which lent them questionable for renovation. 

After a series of analyses, a balance was struck between the amount of new and retained (and subsequently renovated) building stock.

With the school, Centrum Architects set out on a course to refocus the community to a central plaza zone to become the heart of learning and activity.

With the masterplan settled, the Intermediate Homestead was tailored in terms of the educational brief and particularly in terms of climate – solar orientation, cross ventilation, night purging through highlight windows in the central projects space. The form of the building looked to encircle the central plaza space and allowed the orientation of each learning space to achieve a northern aspect.

The central plaza is a great activity space for the students and a raised timber platform with coloured ‘wings’ encourages play/performance activity/ participation. Parents now wait for children after school in the one area rather than in a series of smaller isolated groups. The whole emphasis is on integrating the community and visual connection across most of the school is possible with the new arrangement.

Before the steel was erected the builder went into receivership. Centrum Architects led the team to quickly assess the current status, take appropriate steps and appoint another builder whilst ensuring the project was still completed on time and on budget. 

Principal Simon Anderson said “The effect of the new building in terms of energy sustainability and comfort for students and staff exceeded expectations. The building is bright and stimulating through the creative use of colour. The flexibility of the learning spaces with its infinite possibilities of use continues to be a talking point within our school community, but also by other professionals visiting our school.”