Architectus

Tintern Middle Schools

Tintern Middle Schools
© Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn)

TINTERN MIDDLE SCHOOLS

Architectus

ARCHITECTS
Architectus

LOCATION
90 Alexandra Road, Ringwood East VIC 3135, Australia

AREA
1800.0 sqm

PROJECT YEAR
2014

QUANTITY SERVEYOR
Wilde and Woollard

ACOUSTIC
Marshall Day Acoustics

DDA, RISK
One Group

BUILDING SERVEYOR
ArchiCert

FIRE SERVICES
LCI

TREE MANAGEMENT PLAN
TreeLogic

LAND SERVEYOR
Head & Humphries P/L

TRAFFIC ENGINEER
GTA

CONTRACTOR
MelbCon

Text description provided by architect.

Located at the geographical centre of the Ringwood campus,(suburban Melbourne) the new Middle School intentionally breaks an established pattern of infill building along the contours, by projecting a pair of ‘floating’ learning pavilions, against the gentle slope.

Tintern Middle Schools
© Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn)
Tintern Middle Schools
© Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn)

The brief entailed twelve class rooms aligned with the Tintern Schools’ pedagogy of ‘Parallel Learning’ – requiring separation of girls and boys in Years 7 to 9, ideally without shared entries or corridors – for delivery of a tailored, gender-specific curriculum to maximise learning potentials, with social interaction occurring out of formal class time.

The design rejects a traditional planning solution (of double loaded classroom block with a shared central corridor), in favour of a single loaded configuration to maximise natural light, entering each classroom on two sides.

Tintern Middle Schools
© Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn)
Tintern Middle Schools
© Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn)
Tintern Middle Schools
© Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn)

Ample light and thermal performance – meeting Code requirements and well exceeding traditional framed construction – are assured by the selection of Kalwall cladding and glazing system that permits penetration of diffuse, low-glare, natural daylight through its translucent wall panels. Operable sashes provide natural ventilation.

Parallel Learning, underpinned by research for social sustainability (including the prevention of gender stereotypes), enables students to develop as confident, resilient individuals with interpersonal, problem-solving and decision-making skills, positively contributing to future society.

Tintern Middle Schools
© Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn)
Tintern Middle Schools
© Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn)

The design has created new opportunities for social integration and economic development by the provision of covered external space and activation of the school’s public domain and ground plane, including the recent functioning of the undercroft as a night market, available to the school and local communities.

Expressinganewpublic faceandschoolidentity,the diverging and hovering forms of the new school buildings create a strong campus presence. Splitting of the program into twin buildings of intentionally low, horizontal profiles has reduced visual bulk.From a distance, the new wings settle into the suburban, bushland setting.

Tintern Middle Schools
© Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn)
Tintern Middle Schools
© Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn)

The twin structures (two cranked Vierendeel trusses cantilevered from concrete pilotis), create sheltered, permeable undercroft spaces that, releasing the ground plane, open and activate new visual, spatial and social connections. The deep cantilevers of the steel structure effectively ‘float’ the end classrooms ten metres beyond the last supporting pier.

Tintern Middle Schools
© Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn)

The decision to project, slightly elevating the classroom level, released approximately half of the total floor area for use at the lower level, due to the natural gradient. (This ‘unlocked’ and ‘un-briefed’ space has proved of immense value for social play, landscape exploration and events.)

Tintern Middle Schools
© Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn)
Tintern Middle Schools
© Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn)

Careful siting, amid existing mature Eucalypts,seizes an opportunity to make a down-slope pedestrian link that connects the established, but hitherto unconnected, upper and lower pathways and consolidates a landscape at the centre of the School – rain garden, rock spine and ‘dry creek bed’ to soak up and disperse storm water.

Although each building is accessed independently, a staff-only office bridges the upper level offering prospect and passive external surveillance, with internal access to both classroom wings.

Tintern Middle Schools
© Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn)
Tintern Middle Schools
© Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn)

The upper entries are via exposed ramps. Insertion of tactile indicators into stiletto-proof, perforated metal planking allows the elevated thresholds to additionally function as boot-scrapers while meeting disability code requirements.

Designed for interconnection, modular classrooms are single loaded from a wide corridor that also functions as break-out space. As required, privacy is maintained between the girls’ and boys’ buildings by use of the composite cladding and glazing system.

Tintern Middle Schools
© Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn)
Tintern Middle Schools
© Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn)

Continuous strip windows are positioned for controlled views, without distraction or compromise of privacy between genders. The project was shaped by astute contributions from the client and the project consultants, notably provision of a range of engineered solutions including structure, site hydraulics and energy efficiency.


Tintern Middle Schools
Elevation 1
Tintern Middle Schools
Elevation 2
Tintern Middle Schools
Elevation 3


Tintern Middle Schools
Longitudinal Section
Tintern Middle Schools
Cross Section
Tintern Middle Schools
First Floor Plan
Tintern Middle Schools
Ground Floor Plan
Tintern Middle Schools
Site Plan


Tintern Middle Schools
Diagram
Tintern Middle Schools
Drawing

Architectus
T +61 3 94295733
Architectus
level 25/385 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia