All Saints Primary School by Candalepas Associates

It is a truth generally acknowledged that as a society we work hard to ensure that our children are given the best possible education in their youth, so as to set them on the path to living even better lives than we do. Whilst the learning process itself is one of great importance, the environment in which children learn the skills and information they need in later life is arguably just as valuable. This supposition is what Sydney-based architectural firm Candalepas Associates have taken into account, with their design for a new upgrade to All Saints Grammar in Belmore, NSW.

A co-educational Orthodox Christian school in Belmore, All Saints Grammar’s primary school had recently grown too

big for its breeches, with extensions desperately needed. With this in mind, Candalepas Associates co-ordinated with the local Greek Orthodox community to plan and develop a new $7.3 million building as an engaging, energetic area in which to best educate the adults of the future. This, they have done successfully. The project is the first part of a long term goal of the Greek Orthodox Church to establish a cultural precinct around the existing All Saints Church, with the plan being for an eventual fully completed campus that will feature further institutional and educational attributes, including significant public domain and landscaping works.

The team began by choosing particular materials and methods of construction in order to achieve a specific sense of robustness, moderated by chromatic warmth and with a poetic playfulness that would fit in perfectly with an educational institution, utilising many

different energy efficient materials.

When building a school there are certain things that need to be catered for, which normally wouldn’t be a concern with a traditional structure. Technology is a major requirement in advancing education, and new technologies were included throughout the school upgrade to assist in extending the curriculum, with digital whiteboards, hidden PCs, in-built digital amplifiers and AV controls just some of the top-notch technologies included, along with ceiling-mounted data processors and 4200 Lumen digital data projectors and speakers.

A simple, narrow construction, approximately 80 metres in length, the primary school building contains teaching spaces located over four levels accessed from continuous external walkways to the west. The walkway and breakout areas of the upper levels progressively increase in size, by which it also boosts the number of potential teaching environments and allows teachers and students to respond to varying climatic conditions.

Knowing that happy and energetic children will not learn productively in a space that is dreary, dark and depressing, light factored heavily in the new design. The roof profile was framed with transparent sheeting so as to provide soft natural lighting to the spaces below, with reflected daylight bounced into rooms via angled coloured blade walls situated on the eastern façade. This administers a

warm, daytime luminance to the classrooms for children and teachers to enjoy, with the solar light controlled by deep overhangs and varied screening. The roof also aids in making the building energy efficient, collecting rain water which is then recycled and stored in underground tanks before being redistributed. The building was also fitted throughout with low energy fluorescent lights.

The positioning and size of the building provides all areas with dual aspect promoting cross ventilation, which combines with various exposed high thermal mass surfaces, solar control devices and ceiling fans to successfully supply a high degree of thermal comfort. This is reinforced by gas heaters for use in winter, with the exposed high thermal mass surfaces benefiting from natural cooling. An abundance of windows helps to move air throughout the building.

As for aesthetics,Western Red Cedar has generously been used throughout, and the team chose to avoid traditional institutional colours, opting instead for a palette of refined secondary hues. Inconspicuous spectrums of creams, reds and browns with a base of vivid white are featured on the 70-metre façade of angled vertical blade walls, which reflect coloured daylight into the interior of the building. An abstract wall painting of soft blues, vivid greens and deep browns welcomes visitors in the foyer.

These little loving touches blend with the more noticeable ones to create a school unique in its style and structure, and one which is giving its students the best possible start in education that they can receive.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Brett Boardman

1. School children have fun in their new playground, an essential aspect of the primary school experience. 2. Profile of All Saints Primary School from streetscape. 3. Reflected daylight is bounced inside via angled coloured blade walls situated on the eastern façade of the building. 4. Ceiling-mounted data processors and 4200 Lumen digital data projectors and speakers increase the learning experience for the children of All Saints Primary School. 5. School children enjoy the new and improved play equipment.