Emmaus Primary School

Narratives

Architect Narrative

This Primary School is the first stage of an elementary/middle/high school development. The school is an ecumenical partnership of Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran and Uniting churches sponsored by the Brisbane Catholic Education Office. It was developed within the strict confines of a limited federal government funded school development program. The co-operation of the Church groups amongst themselves and with the government is special and possibly only the second such project in Australia.

The site is termed “ephemeral wetland” and contains fine stands of a rare Melaleuca (Paperbark) and other plants that are protected in an Environmental Park within the school grounds. The Park forms a fine resource for environmental education programs at the school.

A number of design ideas have been put forward and addressed to varying degrees within the multiple contexts of program, budget, personnel and participation limitations. Some of these design guidelines were:

1. Organisational Shapes for Learning:

Use planning shapes that promote learning and enhance possibilities for interaction.

2. Regional Identification:

Provide an architectural solution that reflects on an Australian rural regional character.

3. Multiple Use of Built Space:

Make public space multiple use and enhances its inclusion into classroom activity by making it transparent to supervision and permeable to movement.

Minimize the use of specialist transit spaces between buildings and combine travel and outdoor, covered play and learning spaces.

4. School and sub-school identity hierarchies:

Provide identification and wayfinding hierarchies for sub school and classroom clusters.

1. Organisational Shapes for Learning: Planning shapes that promote learning and possibilities for interaction.

The plan utilizes the “Classic Diamond” shape for the classrooms. The “Classic Diamond” is a shape that can be obtained by dividing a square plan area across one diagonal and cutting two equal or unequal corner squares out of the larger square. These shapes or combination thereof, have been used in embryo in school classroom planning in this state for a number of years namely in the S88 standardised system for school building production sponsored by the Government for its State Schools. This school was intended by the architect to continue the developmental use of these shapes which he has since extended into further development with other projects in progress.These shapes create focal points for learning and multiple points of interest within the classroom, and are akin to the traditional amphitheatre space.

In combinations of these shapes, the severe albeit distorted symmetry is not apparent to the user as spaces surround and lead on to other uses within the larger space. This configuration is sympathetic to a close packed but naturally ventilated architectural solution because it provides multiple wall facets to gather prevailing wind from whatever direction and also enables the use of the claustral effect of wind funnelling through building clusters.

Crystal symmetry also enhances the spatial architectural possibilities for indoor/outdoor interaction by providing a geometrical framework for subdivision of external spaces and suggestions for their planning orientation.

2. An architectural solution that reflects on an Australian regional character.

The development uses the devices of large overhangs and sunshades for shading of walls for sun control and shelter. In combination with the geometry this yields the character of tentlike roofs that climb up and down and around suggesting the rolling hills of Australia as well as the climatic reference of shade and protection from tropical downpours. The flat roof configuration is such that the natural exhaust air for the public spaces enters at the high point of the roof making it possible to use cross ventilation in combination with wind funnelling in lieu of thermal chimneys which are usually required to naturally ventilate cluster buildings in this climate.

The materials of zincalume and Colorbond corrugated high tensile steel sheet continue the identification with traditional Australian building types.

3. Multiple Use of Built Space:

The buildings cluster around and concentrate the public space. The clustering tends to suggest multiple use of the public space and enhance its inclusion in classroom and play activities. Potential exists to include this interaction space as a part of the more privatised educational space as opposed to more public space of the existing arrangement. While the program did not permit this development in the first stage, the benign climate of the region will allow this area to be enclosed as a verandah like multi-purpose space at a later stage.

In order to minimize the use of specialist transit spaces between buildings such as covered links, it is proposed to use multiple use linking spaces for shade, play and outdoor learning in the future.

4. School and sub-school identity hierarchies:

Classroom clusters in related year groups promote the idea of distinct “centres of learning “ within the school which will be continued into the development of middle and upper schools at a later date. Architecturally these “centers” are marked by unique locally developed laser-cut pyramidal skylights that filter infra red but allow light at the centers of the building clusters.