Client: NSW Government
Completion: Stage 1 September 2020 (Stage 2 ongoing)
Collaboration: CONTEXT Landscape Architects
Builder: Richard Crookes Constructions
Contractor: Landscape Solutions

THE CHALLENGE

Alexandria Park Community School, a new vertical school in Sydney’s inner west by the Department of Education, was the next new school design for CONTEXT Landscape Architects.

After numerous award winning school designs, how could this one be different? We speak to Jon Kane, Associate at CONTEXT.

"Rooftop spaces are exposed making a brutal environment to design for. To add to this challenge the audience for this particular project was primary school students, which brought another level of specific requirements and standards that made achieving a safe and habitable space a complex negotiation.”

CONTEXT engaged Michelle Herbut I.D. to create bespoke rooftop seating that would also be a point of difference to the rest of the school’s outdoor seating areas. The first challenge was materiality, due to the environment we needed to consider something that was comfortable to touch and soft on the eye.

And the next challenge was the physical location; products needed to be easily transported to the roof, and fixed into place without disturbing the waterproofing.

OUR SOLUTION

The harsh environment meant timber was high on the list of materials to use, as it was cooler in summer and warmer in winter. It also diffused any light reflection that would occur during the height of summer.

Designing the furniture in a series of stools and benches meant there was an ability to create large interconnecting seating pods, which created social gathering spaces, but single stools could be used as separate seating pods. Utilising the stools as the ‘junction’ in the gathering spaces meant the connecting timber benches could all be cut the same which kept the kit-of-parts to a minimum.

This also meant the individual units were light enough to manoeuvre onto the rooftop.

As CONTEXT wanted to create a contrast with the design of the organic patterning of the wet pour rubber and synthetic turf combination on the surface of the rooftop, a hexagonal shape stool was used, which also allowed the web of benches to flow through the space. The white colouring was also deliberate, and provided a relief to the mix of colours on the rooftop surface.

Furniture is usually the last item to go in, but in this instance the fixings needed to be installed prior to water-proofing to ensure structural integrity of the rooftop. Early engagement with CONTEXT meant Michelle Herbut I.D. was aware of the project progamme by builder, Richard Crookes, and could provide templates to ensure correct fixing locations.

The fixing points of the stools were designed with enough tolerances to allow for any potential misalignment.

And finally, an assembly instruction sheet was provided to the contractor, Landscape Solutions to ensure assembly was simple and precise.

THE RESULT

The furniture adds a sophisticated element to a playful area, while the combination of the timber and matt white stools really pop against the contrasting softfall colours.

“The furniture is very adaptive catering for individual, small and larger gatherings, young and adult audiences” says Jon. “The quality of the design, materiality & craftsmanship of Michelle Herbut I.D. is evident in each unit. MHID was very responsive, adaptive and passionate about their products which made them a pleasure to work with.”