La Salle College – Trade Skills Centre
Project Details
Architects
Mike Savage & Geoff Chinnery
Address
Muriel Street Middle Swan , Western Australia 6056 Australia
Submitter
Geoff Chinnery
Cost
$4.4m
Photographer
Robert Frith, Acorn Photo
Project Overview
The design and construction of a new Trade Skills Centre on a populated and congested site. Simple planning clearly
separates the teaching zones & characterize the form & layout of the building. To strive for a durable and timeless
design solution with architectural clarity that elegantly accomplishes its functions.
This project involved the design and construction of a new Trade Skills Centre on this highly populated and very
congested site. The College is located in Middle Swan adjacent the Midland Brick works and caters for a wide range of
children from differing backgrounds.
The planning is simple and functional and consists of a row of Workshops complimented by welding and storage areas
to the North West boundary and Design Labs and Staff facilities on the School side. A transparent glazed walkway
separates the Workshops from the Design Labs to provide noise and dust separation while maximising visual
surveillance and natural lighting between spaces.
The design takes cues from the materials and forms of the adjacent buildings which are predominantly solid, red face
brick (from the adjacent brickworks) with punched openings and sloped colorbond roofing. The materials are robust yet
the building achieves lightness through the generous use of glazed screens and floating lantern roofs which admit
controlled light and provide good natural ventilation into the interiors.
The design intent has been for a durable and timeless solution that has planning and architectural clarity and elegantly
accomplishes its functions despite the constrictions and orientation of the tight site.
