Educational institutions often have deeply-held traditions, mottos, mores, and norms.
And so it is with Parade College.
Parade College is all-boys multi-campus secondary school in Melbourne, Australia.
The school has two campuses in the northern suburbs of the City.
One is at Bundoora; the other, eight kilometres away at Presto.
Their motto is Tenete Traditionales, or “Hold fast the traditions”.
Tenete Traditionales has been at the core of the school’s values and principles over its 147 year foundation.
But sometimes a clean break with tradition is needed.
That was CHT Architects approach when they were commissioned to design the new Nash Learning Centre.
The Nash Learning Centre is located at the entry to the Parade College campus.
It’s highly-visible and become a prominent symbol of school’s progressive pedagogy and adoption of technology into their teaching practice.
The new Nash Learning Centre incorporates diverse, multi-mode learning spaces into its planning, delivering common spaces with a mixture of communal desk space and private learning areas that are functional and stimulating learning environments.
Conceptual Framework
The existing campus is a robust brown brick modernist design.
It reflects long-held traditions of faith and community.
CHT Architects’ design for the new Nash Learning Centre departed from the overarching architectural style and continuity of campus.
It was almost an antithesis in colour, materiality, and design language.
Perhaps there was some risk with that approach?
Relationship Of Built Form To Context
CHT Architects’ design saw the built form of the Nash Learning Centre’s colonnade reflects the traditions of the Christian Brothers educational history.
The context of faith, traditional education, and monastic architecture were also embedded in their design.
CHT Architects’ design was a deliberate point of difference to the 1960’s chocolate brick context.
It confidently broke from the established context with its clean white built form.
The juxtaposed built form is now a point of pride on campus and within the wider community, strongly displaying the school’s identity of education and technology within the architecture.
The building signifies the school’s evolution.
The arches promote a physical connection via entrances linking existing areas of the school, a visual connection to its setting through arches to treetops outside, and a connection to the community through its prominent presence at the entrance of the school.
Program Resolution
The brief required CHT Architects to respond in a traditional, architectural and a technological manner, adapting contemporary approaches to pedagogy through the separation and adaptation of the flexible spaces.
Smaller private spaces were organised to the perimeter of the building.
That move consolidated the communal spaces and maintained visual links to the outside.
There is a dichotomy of old and new split over the two main levels of the building.
Traditional literature is on Ground Level.
On Level 1, interactive multimedia is used and displayed on an array of touch screens within the Project Hub.
Integration of Allied Disciplines
A high quality finish to the precast arches, their glazing, and details was mandatory on this prominent gateway building.
That required close coordination with the structural engineers and the builder.
A multimedia and audio visual consultant was needed for input into the Project Hub and Multimedia Rooms.
Cost/Value Outcome
The original Contract Sum of just under $5M increased by around 5% over the span of the build.
Sustainability
Throughout design and construction, there was a focus on retaining as much of the original structure as possible.
The basement structure and ground floor slab were saved.
A large stained glass mural was also retained and reused.
It now sits above the eastern entry linking the theatre to the new Learning Hub.
The spaces between the arches were glazed.
That flooded the building with natural light.
To control the amount of heat gain and solar ingress. glazing was tempered with a ceramic frit applied.
Response to Client and End-User Needs
Parade College’s intention was to regenerate their original facility.
And move it to the forefront of education and technology.
The new Nash Learning Centre delivers students both the traditions of Parade College and the benefits a contemporary technological educational facility provides.
Project Details
Project size – 1,730 m2
Project Budget – $5,000,000
Completion date – 2017
Building levels – 2
Project Team
Architecture
CHT Architects
Over the past 20 years, CHT Architects has grown to become one of the largest architectural firms in Melbourne by consistently delivering socially, environmentally and financially successful spaces that enrich people’s lives.
Construction
Devco Project & Construction Management
Devco was established in 1988 by Romando Nascarella and Paul Launech.
Today, Devco Project & Construction Management continues to built an enviable track record as it approaches 30 years of operation demonstrating construction expertise across many market sectors and building types.
Interiors
Sora Interiors
Sora aims to create a holistic design process which encompasses all aspects of the design from concept through to styling and furniture.
Dr Ben Cleveland
Dr Ben Cleveland is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning at the University of Melbourne.
Audio Visual Design, Supply, and Installation
DIB Audio Visual designs, supplys, installs and services audio visual systems.
They have been helping corporates, schools, and businesses install AV solution throughout Melbourne and Victoria for over 20 years.
Photography
Rhiannon Slatter
Rhiannon Slatter is a Melbourne based fine art and architecture/interiors photographer.
Photo Gallery
Click on a thumbnail image to enlarge.
Design © 2020 CHT Architects. All Rights Reserved.| Images © 2020 Rhiannon Slatter. All Rights Reserved.
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