Hamilton State School
Delivering a new benchmark in education design
Case Study
This project has increased this Brisbane primary school’s capacity for students. The design also provides new cohesive gathering spaces at the School, which were previously lacking.
8i Architects was initially engaged by the Queensland Department of Education to design and deliver a new two-storey General Learning Centre for Hamilton State School. The brief called for new classrooms on the upper floor with new staff and prep facilities located on the ground floor, as well as an undercroft space allocated for future expansion.
At a point approximately halfway into the construction period, we were instructed to develop the undercroft space into classrooms due to an increase in the student population.
After the construction of the new General Learning Centre, we were also engaged to internally refurbish an existing heritage-listed building on the campus. This was the original building on campus from the School’s inception in 1907. The existing classrooms on the upper level were spatially dysfunctional. Our design streamlined these spaces to support contemporary learning.
There were a number of challenges we overcame during this project. Our team discovered there was a heritage-listed space we needed to design around, even though it was not initially identified on the heritage report (not undertaken by 8i Architects). The heritage listing related to an empty space, previously occupied by a tennis court that had since been removed. 8i Architects had to substantially amend the original design to accommodate the heritage listing. We successfully amended the format of the building to incorporate this space as a new outdoor area.
8i Architects has incorporated large existing heritage-listed trees into the design, which have enhanced the students’ outlook from common areas. The new building also provides additional shaded areas that previously didn’t exist in abundance at the School. This is of particular importance in the Queensland climate.
The School is designed to encourage outdoor learning and play.
An ample undercover area provides shading and respite for students and staff alike.
The way 8i Architects communicated, without the jargon, helped me to answer questions from staff and parents.
Liam Bray
Principal, Hamilton State School
Additional learning spaces adjoin outdoor play areas.
Verandahs act as circulation spaces and bag storage, while providing leafy outlooks.
New learning spaces seamlessly respond to the existing buildings on site.
Refurbishment of the heritage-listed school building.
8i Architects have been really invested in the project – in my thoughts, the school and the community.
Liam Bray
Principal, Hamilton State School
Education projects
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Case Study
Year
Sector
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Projects
Year
Sector
Clifton State High School – Equine Arena and Multi-Purpose Hall
- Name: Clifton State High School – Equine Arena and Multi-Purpose Hall
- Client: Department of Education
- Builder: Newlands Group
- Category: Education
Clifton State High School Equine Arena and Multi-Purpose Hall
The 1,300m2 Equine Arena and 1,200m2 Multi-Purpose Hall at Clifton State High School represent a significant investment in the future of its students and community. These facilities underscore the school’s dedication to providing exceptional educational opportunities and fostering a supportive environment conducive to personal growth and achievement.
Located in the Southern Downs of Queensland, Clifton State High School, enhanced its existing facilities with the significant refurbishment of the existing Equine Arena and Multi-Purpose Hall. This ambitious project marks a significant milestone in the school’s development, aiming to provide students with state-of-the-art facilities to foster both learning, recreational and vocational opportunities.
Impact on Students and Community
The significant refurbishment of these facilities reflects Clifton State High School’s commitment to holistic education. By providing top-tier amenities for both athletic pursuits and community engagement, the school not only enriches student experiences but also strengthens its ties with the broader community. The Equine Arena and Multi-Purpose Hall are poised to become integral parts of school life, promoting physical well-being, cultural awareness, and academic achievement among students.
Bega TAFE (NSW)
- Name: Bega TAFE (NSW)
- Client: TAFE NSW
- Builder: St Hilliers
- Category: Education
8i Architects were engaged by Bega TAFE to design a new 2,750m2 multi-hub learning facility aiming to increase the capacity of vocational training in the region.
The 2 storey building includes a dedicated area for construction trades such as bricklaying, carpentry, metal fabrication; automotive workshop; horticulture; general learning areas; health and well-being centre for childcare and community services; a commercial kitchen with hospitality bar and restaurant; and gernal administration offices.
As a Design and Construct project 8i Architects worked proactively and collaboratively with St Hilliers and Bega TAFE in identifying and resolving any design challenges or changes.
This regional NSW project was successfully managed by 8i Architects’ Brisbane office.
Palmview State Secondary College
- Name: Palmview State Secondary College
- Client: Department of Education - Queensland
- Builder: FKG Group
- Category: Education
8i Architects was engaged by FKG as part of a Design and Construct delivery model to design and document a new state high school campus on the existing Palmview schools precinct, and Stage 2 works to the Primary and Special Schools.
The new high school campus consists of:
– 3 storey 3,150m2 Administration block,
– 3 storey 4,500m2 Canteen and Resource centre block,
– 3 storey 2,600m2 of General Learning Classrooms,
– 3 storey 4,700m2 Science Block,
– 2 storey 3,300m2 Applied Technology lab,
– 2 storey 2,300m2 Hospitality and Food Technology Block,
– 2 storey 6,750m2 covered carpark with 2 outdoor sports courts over
– 3,200m2 Indoor Sports Hall
– Bike Store and Ancillary buildings
8i Architects worked proactively and collaboratively with FKG and the Department of Education in delivering this new multi-million dollar school campus.
Palmview State Primary School
- Name: Palmview State Primary School
- Client: Department of Education - Queensland
- Builder: FKG Group
- Category: Education
8i Architects was engaged by FKG Group to design and document Stage 2 of Palmview State Primary School.
This consisted of a new 3,700m2 three storey, General Learning Area (GLA) Building for junior and senior learning.
The building has 10 GLA’s, amenities, 4 Collaborative spaces, outdoor learning areas on each floor, a staff resource room on each floor and a Robotics/multi-purpose Lab on each floor.
Each level within the building has wide open breezeways connecting each of the teaching spaces.
Palmview Special School
- Name: Palmview Special School
- Client: Department of Education - Queensland
- Builder: FKG Group
- Category: Education
8i Architects were engaged by FKG Group to design and document Stage 2 of Palmview State Special School.
This consisted of a new 4,500m2 three storey, General Learning Area (GLA) Building that caters for pre-Kindy students on the ground floor through to Year 6 students on the upper floor.
This 20 GLA building has therapy and multi-sensory rooms, an art space, laundry room, administration spaces, resource room, interview rooms, waiting area, flexible multi-purpose rooms. Each floor as at least 5 accessible bathrooms with 1 assisted accessible bathroom shared between every 2 GLA’s.
This building was the first of a new multi-storey building type for Special Schools in Queensland.
Due to the health, safety and fire requirements for this building, a pressurised lift shaft was required so the students could use the lift in case of a fire. The stairs were also treated with additional fire rating requirements so students could shelter within the stair case during a fire.
Coomera State Special School
- Name: Coomera State Special School
- Client: Department of Education
- Builder: FKG Group
- Category: Education
8i Architects was engaged by FKG Group to design and document a new $45.6 million special school campus in Coomera for the Queensland Department of Education.
The project comprised of a total of 9 new buildings including a single storey Administration Building, Multipurpose Hall with a performance stage, a single storey Resource Centre, a single storey Junior 8 GLA building, a 2 storey Junior 12 GLA building, a 2 storey Senior 12 GLA building, Canteen & Central Amenities building, grounds care building and a bus storage shed to house the school owned five, 25 seater buses.
The project also included provision of multiple outdoor play areas, mobility training ramp for students, covered link around the school, covered student drop off, pickup and bus zone area, extensive landscaping, visitor and staff car parking, covered entry and walkways and sports oval.
Cleveland District State High School
- Name: Cleveland District State High School
- Client: Department of Education - Queensland
- Builder: FKG Group
- Category: Education
8i Architects was engaged to design and document a new $10 million multi-storey Learning Centre at Cleveland District State High School. The centre accommodates senior students and includes new general learning areas, new dance studio with plastic cushioned floor, staff space and amenities.
This new facility was designed to accommodate the increasing student population in the area.
With over 10 years of designing and documenting educational facilities, 8i Architects was engaged by the FK Gardner & Sons to design and document a new three storey GLA building at Cleveland District State High School in the Redlands. This project was able to be successfully managed by 8i Architects’ Brisbane office.
Hieu Nguyen and Jeremy Haldane were the project architects.
The siting of the building was selected to ensure the school’s operation was not disrupted by the construction of the new building.
The project was completed on time and within budget.
Hamilton State School
- Name: Hamilton State School
- Client: Department of Education - Queensland
- Builder: James Trowse Construction
- Category: Education
Highfields State Secondary College
- Name: Highfields State Secondary College
- Client: Department of Education - Queensland
- Builder: FKG Group
- Category: Education
8i Architects was engaged by FKG to undertake the design and documentation of Stage 1 of the new Secondary School campus on a green field site at Highfields, just north of Toowoomba for Queensland’s Department of Education.
Stage 1 delivered more than 30 teaching spaces, including special education facilities with a capacity for up to 480 students. The main scope of works comprised of a total of 16 new buildings including Administration Building, Library/Information Services Centre, Canteen & Central Amenities, Food & Hospitality Centre, Multiple GLA’s, Lecture Theatre, Visual Arts & Textiles Studios, Graphics Studio, Multiple Workshops & associated support spaces, Multiple Science Labs and associated preparation area rooms, Staff Workrooms, Head of Department Offices, Student Support Centre, Business Planning & ICT and Junior Learning Centre, various amenities, play areas and platforms for future multi-purpose courts as well as extensive landscaping.
The project also included provision of student drop off & bus zone area, visitor and staff car parking for more than 160 vehicles, covered entry, covered walkways and sports oval.
On completion of the building, DETE conducted an independent review of the facilities and rated it as an exemplar for future school designs.
Highfields State Secondary College took out the Award for Best Education Facility over $5 Million within the Downs and Western Region Master Builders Awards 2015. In addition, the project was shortlisted for the Master Builders Project of the Year Award.
Laidley State High School
- Name: Laidley State High School
- Client: Department of Education - Queensland
- Builder: Woollam Constructions
- Category: Education
Laidley State High School’s new multi-storey GLA building with extension of science block and manual arts building.
The project included a commercial teaching kitchen, dance area, film and TV studio, music rooms and general GLA’s.
This regional project was able to be successfully managed by 8i Architects’ Brisbane office.
Jeremy Haldane was the Principal Project Architect. 8i Architects was employed as the Principal Consultant on the project. As the Principal Consultant, 8i Architects had to undertake the management and co-ordination of the design team which included secondary consultants such as Mechanical, Electrical, Security and Communications Engineer, Hydraulics, Structural, Civil, Landscape Architect, DDA Consultant and Building Certifier.
8i Architects worked with and under the direction of the Project Manager, who was our point of contact for advising and reporting to the Department of Education. The Project Manager was responsible for delivering the program and budget for the project. We assisted the Project Manager to ensure that the buildings were delivered on time and within budget whilst maintaining building quality. The time and budget constraints were achieved by design buildings that were fit for purpose, used readily available local trades and materials and adding value in the design.
The Principal Consultancy Team delivered concept design, sketch design, design development, construction documentation, tender and contract administration for the project.
Mountain Creek State High School
- Name: Mountain Creek State High School
- Client: Department of Education - Queensland
- Builder: FKG Group
- Category: Education
8i Architects were engaged to design and document a new $16.4 million multi-storey Learning Centre at Mountain Creek State High School on the Sunshine Coast. The centre accommodates senior students and includes 16 new general learning areas, two flexible learning areas, three STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) learning spaces, three science labs, two robotics labs, two collaborative spaces, a staff space and amenities.
This project was able to be successfully managed by 8i Architects’ Brisbane office.
Hieu Nguyen and Jeremy Haldane were the project architects.
The siting of the building was changed by 8i Architects to ensure the school’s operation of 2,100 students was not disrupted by the construction of the new building.
Picnic Creek State School
- Name: Picnic Creek State School
- Client: Department of Education - Queensland
- Builder: FKG Group
- Category: Education
8i Architects were engaged by FKG Group to design and document a new $40 million primary school campus in Coomera for the Queensland Department of Education.
The main scope of works comprised of a total of 17 new buildings including an Administration and Student Support Building, Multipurpose Hall, Canteen & Central Amenities, dedicated Prep, Junior and Senior learning areas and a Special Education Unit.
The project also included provision of multiple outdoor play areas, extensive landscaping, a student drop-off & bus zone area, visitor and staff car parking, covered entry and walkways and sports oval. The school also has a direct connection to the nearby natural habitat with the inclusion of a nature bridge that links it to a local Koala Conservation area.
