The school is on a hill adjacent to Bellevue Park, overlooking Rose Bay and Sydney Harbour to the north, and Bondi Beach and the Pacific Ocean to the east. It is housed in a double story brick building built in 1924—challenging our team to maximise the built environment envelope for playground space while maintaining the heritage of the site. Equipping students to excel requires a learning environment design that fosters curiosity, encourages growth and development. Good design also enables teaching communities to deliver across a spectrum of teaching styles. Redeveloping an existing school site draws on this plus creativity to leverage the most from the space available and topography constraints.
After we completed an Educational Principles study with New Learning Environments, our project team prepared alternative concept design options for Bellevue Hill Public School. The DEC Project Steering Committee endorsed these principles to guide the preparation of alternative design concepts for the proposed accommodation.
The preferred design provides a strong integrated extension of the teaching spaces on all levels. The spaces contribute greatly to the learning environment and are flexible, allowing customisation to suit the range of learning styles and teaching methods practised in the school. Site conditions, area availability, terrain, and landscaping influenced the design significantly and led to a four-level proposal that minimises ground-level work, reduces playground area, and removes trees. The upper levels are similar in layout and integrate smoothly with the teaching spaces of the existing school.
Schools Infrastructure NSW regards the design as an ideal model. It reflects our expertise in delivering live-environment school projects, mitigating risks, and ensuring uninterrupted learning for students and staff.
“I found the GroupGSA architects extremely professional and collaborative in their approach. They consulted widely and communicated effectively with the whole school community. They were very receptive to change and accommodated request wherever possible. I highly recommend this group for further work with the Dept. of Education.”
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“Bellevue Hill Public School has delivered a commendable learning environment that produces, excites, engages and supports learners through innovative practice and design.
Users enjoy learning spaces that allow for visible pedagogy, the deprivatisation of learning, and different scales of community learning and gathering. Bellevue Hill Public School is a learning space that breathes their learning and teaching vision. Colour, materials, lighting and space have been thoughtfully used to create spaces focused on making, collaborating, inquiring, reflecting and team.
High-level materials also speak to the emphasis on academic achievement and the importance of learning. Sustainability has also been at the forefront in constructing this learning environment with natural lighting and cross ventilation serving the learners well.”
The guide incorporates the latest best practices for designing positive learning environments. Abbie Galvin LFRAIA, Government Architect NSW says:
Good design is fundamental to creating schools that inspire, endure and connect. It begins with an understanding of place, culture and the natural environment…
Investing in quality design delivers value for money and guarantees our schools’ long-term performance, sustainability and adaptability.
Design Guide for Schools emphasises how important it is for every school – public and independent, regardless of location – to benefit from good design, allowing all students to thrive.
This updated guide reflects a deeper understanding of the importance of design led by Country and is informed by the evolution of the Connecting with Country Framework over recent years.
A Country-led approach to school design starts with a willingness to learn. We all recognise the significance and value of Country informing the design of our schools, and the rich opportunity this presents to interweave culture and community in our learning environments.
Another project of ours – Galungara Public School is also featured.
PLUS see the full stunning image gallery from photographer Tyrone Branigan
As an Associate Director, Rajat has led the successful delivery of numerous complex projects, focusing on education and social infrastructure for public clients. Rajat has extensive experience on small to large projects in Australia and overseas, including the USA and India.
