Anzac Park Public School

The Awards Jury commented that this was a very impressive and successful project, with a competent response to a constrained site and excellent use of design elements.

Project Details

Architects
Government Achitect’s Office, NSW

Award
Commendation, Category 1 – New Facility Construction/Entire Facility

Address
2 Anzac Avenue, Cammeray NSW 2062

Submitter
William Phelps

Cost
Not disclosed

Photographer
Guy Wilkinson Photography

Project Overview

Anzac Park Public School occupies the site of the former North Sydney Anzac Memorial Club, and is unique in that it is designed to accommodate a relatively large population (1,000 students) on a relatively small site (1 hectare).

Building in an urban setting presented challenges, including proximity of the existing neighbouring residential development. The primary design response to the compact site was to build up, not out. The new building is four- storeys high, and is located on the footprint of the former Anzac Club building, with the existing bowling greens and games courts recycled as the school’s open play space. The Administration, Library and Hall are located on the entry level (Level 1), where they are accessible to the public and visitors to the school, with ‘homebases’ and associated spaces on upper levels. The building is arranged around a central courtyard, which allows most internal spaces to benefit from natural light from two sides and encourages natural cross ventilation and eliminates the need for air-conditioning.

With its striped blue facade the school has a strong yet playful visual identity, reflecting the dynamic learning environment within. This quality is enhanced by vibrant signage and wayfinding throughout the building, and by the establishment of “colour neighbourhoods” to create a sense of identity for the students. The theme extends to external spaces, with imaginative play encouraged through the use of boldly coloured patterns painted onto paving or integrated into artificial turf. The larger outdoor play spaces have an important role to play, with the potentially flat and uninteresting expanses of the former bowling greens given a three dimensional quality with the introduction of elements such as the artificial turf mounds, which provide a surface on which many games and activities can take place.

It was also considered important for the site to acknowledge and continue its Anzac legacy, this was achieved by the name reflecting its location and heritage, the site strategy taking cues from the former Anzac Club, the new “Memorial Square” at the school’s entry addressing Anzac Park opposite, and planting themes being derived from the Anzac tradition, through the inclusion of mass planting of rosemary and a lone pine.