Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School
Client
Ivanhoe Girls Grammar School
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School have been a long time and repeat client of Jackson Architecture. We have completed a series of buildings and additions over the past two decades, including Senior School Lecture Theatres, the Junior School and the Performing Arts Centre.
Inclusions
Cooerwull Resource Centre
The brief for the School Resource Centre was to design a new multipurpose facility that brought together staff, parents and students of all levels into one shared pivotal precinct. We then took on the opportunity to further enhance the experience of the project through the development of an interactive forecourt, therefore uniting a number of central and complimentary functions including: Junior and Senior Resource Centre, Shared AV /IT Areas, Centralised Staff Work and Common Room and a Café. A variety of spaces are included in the building.
There was also a focus on an outdoor dining area and centralised entertainment amphitheatre.
View and Light
A key part of the design is view and natural light with lowered height ceiling spaces giving way to a large double height volumes flooded with natural light. Shading devices are used to control sun, light and glare.
Performing Arts Centre
Jackson Architecture worked closely with Arup acoustic engineers to reinvent the school’s main auditorium as a Performing Arts Centre.
Complex in its shape, an acoustic reflector was carefully integrated into the space, together with acoustically designed cladding to the rear platform walls. These have been proven to deliver a significant improvement in acoustic experiences for both the audience members and the musicians across the platform.
Doris Walker Centre Auditorium
The Doris Walker Centre was refurbished to accommodate the Year 11 and 12 home rooms.
The auditorium has been designed to reflect a tertiary education seminar and is fully equipped with tertiary ICT and video conferencing capability. The foyer space provides for pre and post seminar meet and greet with close access to amenities.
The rear plywood wall slides back to reveal a small stage area. The design is flexible with the stage area used for project work when it is not required for performance.
Integrated Campus Design
As a whole, each of these school buildings seek to unify the campus. Our approach is based on an overarching strategy that individual buildings do not stand isolated and alone within their context, but rather offer opportunities for outward interaction.
In addition environmentally sustainability is at the forefront with integrated design elements such as shading devices to control sun, light and glare.
A recent addition includes an innovation space for students to test and challenge ideas, in a collaborative and informal nature.
