Klemzig PS Redevelopment
Project Details
Architects
Shannon Architects
Address
2 Hay St Klemzig , South Australia 5087 Australia
Submitter
Department for Education and Child Development
Cost
$7,050,000
Photographer
Ashley Turner – Spruik Photography
Project Overview
New purpose built Centre for Hearing Impaired endearingly referred to by the school as the “Butterfly Wing “. Both because the butterfly is the emblem of the Deaf Foundation and the fact that from an aerial view the new building looks like a butterfly wing.
Refurbishment of existing facilities to enable delivery of the inclusive, bilingual program school-wide.
New purpose built and refurbished facilities accommodate Klemzig Primary School and Centre for Hearing Impaired. These include new space for the Bilingual Preschool.
The language other than English delivered as part of the Klemzig Primary School curriculum is AUSLAN (Australian Sign Language). Up to 4 students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing are integrated with 20 to 25 mainstream students. For these classes, all lessons are delivered by two teachers in English and AUSLAN simultaneously.
Adequate classroom space is required to allow distance between staff and students who are communicating using sign language, the higher number of support staff, and the fact that many students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing also, require the use of mobility equipment.
Acoustic performance of the learning spaces is integral to engagement of students who are hard of hearing as well as the provision hearing augmentation systems to amplify the teacher ‘s voice and learning technologies.
Students and staff who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing rely on vison to assess their environment and communicate with others. For this reason, natural light and transparency are important factors. Also key to the facilitation of clear vision is the reduction of glare and the use a neutral pallete for finishes.
The new and refurbished facilities have indoor widows for transparency. Careful consideration of the orientation and window placement within the new Centre for Hearing Impaired (CHI) building, motorised blinds and external shades fitted to existing facilities prevent glare from inhibiting vision.
Sound absorbing materials have been used to compensate for the increased amount of glass. Operable soundproof walls allow classrooms to be divided in two discrete learning areas to accommodate the varied needs of students. A serviced Learning Street also provides access to withdrawal spaces where small group work can occur under line-of-sight supervision that double as speech therapy rooms.
Special features which accommodate for the needs of children with other disabilities include a health care room, access toilet and storage areas for mobility equipment.
The new Resource and Serviced Learning Areas now occupy the ground floor in the existing two-storey building. A new lift provide access to the redeveloped first floor teaching spaces.
Drop off and direct access to the CHI building have been provided for Special Needs Students.
