Good Shepherd College Primary Campus, Hamilton

This project was funded by the federal government BER (Building Education Revolution) program.  For a small independent school, this funding provided a significant opportunity to address some long-standing maintenance issues. However, our investigation of these issues revealed that they were in fact symptoms of a greater problem. The ad-hoc nature of successive additions to the original 1960s building (designed by local architects Walter & Auty) had created a cumbersome structure in which many spaces had become internal, with little natural light, limited outdoor access and highly complicated roof junctions.

 

The solution required a radical re-planning of the school. Rather than simply adding more new space, the project focused on improving the quality of existing facilities.  The central sections of the building were demolished to create an ‘H’ shaped plan, providing abundant natural light and creating visual links throughout the school. On one wing of this plan, a new library was constructed to replace the demolished building. This was linked to tiered outdoor seating and a covered outdoor learning area. An additional benefit of this planning strategy was the creation of courtyard spaces between the buildings and a new street identity for the school. Most importantly, the project has set a framework for future development of the campus.