Ursula Frayne Catholic College Stage 10
Project Details
Architects
Mark Langdon
Address
15 Duncan Street Victoria Park Perth , WA 6100 Australia
Submitter
Mark Langdon
Cost
$5,207,418.00
Photographer
Robert Frith – Acorn Photo
Project Overview
Ursula Frayne Catholic College ‘s new Hospitality and Manual Arts wing provides a state-of-the-art facility for education in Western Australia. The addition respects the historic St Joachim ‘s School, whilst more than doubling the available space for the College by rising two storeys and linking back to the existing campus.
The new building encapsulates the school ‘s narrative on its journey from a humble single building from the 1930 ‘s to a modern education facility.
The Duncan Street, Victoria Park campus caters for Year 7 to Year 12 students and has a strong aesthetic, historical and social heritage significance. It is also part of a major heritage precinct that includes St Joachim ‘s Hall, Church, Presbytery and a former convent on the school site.
The scope of the project resulted in a challenging design brief that called for significant changes to an existing building (St Joachim ‘s School), incorporating new functionality whilst embracing the historical nature of the College site. The College architects, DWA worked closely with the College, local shire, Heritage Council of WA, and sub-contractor heritage architects, during the delicate planning and design phase of the project.
The proposal sought to retain the original 1930s building, adding a second level to the structure to provide the College with additional accommodation. It also sought to retain the architectural qualities of the original building ensuring a distinction between the original and new works, whilst integrating the larger structure into the overall campus theme.
Parents and students have been highly complimentary about the new facilities and are delighted that that student demand for courses in these areas can now be comfortably accommodated in contemporary facilities.
The project has resulted in the provision of state of the art facilities for the College while successfully providing a reinterpretation of an existing form within the constraints of heritage issues and space. The refurbished and extended building is both innovative and recognisable. It has a commanding presence along Shepperton Road that has been further enhanced through the incorporation of a large red illuminated cross on the north-west corner of the facility.
Complimented by the surrounding landscaping, this symbol not only reflects the identity of the College but has also invigorated the pus and invited the local and broader communities to see the familiar vista of the school in a different way.
