Sensum , Magill School Capital Works Investment

Future Proofing:  As well as the new classrooms delivered under this upgrade, the school’s management has identified future requirements for more classrooms to accommodate student growth.  

Sarah’s team worked collaboratively with the client’s consultant Phillips/Pilkington Architects to modify the design of one of the modular buildings.  

This structure now includes a large window extending from the floor level which can be easily removed to integrate with other modular structures when required. 

Modular Components: The upgrade required aspects of the new buildings to be modularised or prefabricated to meet the department’s innovation and sustainability values.  

To manage the logistics of transporting large structures to site, Sarah selected prefabricated components that could safely and efficiently be transported to site along highly trafficked roads, including floor cassettes, and wall and roof trusses. 

The remainder of construction was completed on site, with deliveries of materials carefully managed to avoid congestion. 

Integration of New Infrastructure with an Existing Building: An existing building was halved to remove non DDA-compliant components, and refurbished to provide general learning areas, breakout spaces, withdrawal and wet areas, staff and student amenities, teacher preparation space and storage.  

With the new facilities requiring tie-in with the existing building, Sarah’s team carefully assessed the columns and beams of the structure to ensure the new required spaces could be constructed as designed and employed bespoke construction methodologies to pour a new slab underneath the existing foundations.  

 Sarah’s team also employed a 3D scan of the existing building after its partial deconstruction to determine the heights of the existing columns and beams.  This critical information was relayed to steel fabricators to accelerate shop drawings and the manufacture of structural components.

A Safe Work Site: A key architectural element is a large, covered deck between the new modular spaces designed to accommodate up to 100 students. 

Installation of the canopy required the detailed management of high-risk construction activities including working at heights, crane lifts and movements, and hot works (welding).  

With the construction works completely segregated from the operational school community throughout the build, Sarah’s team carefully planned, coordinated, and executed the canopy installation, successfully managing the safety of all construction personnel.

Mitigating Impacts to Learning: Although the construction zone was completely segregated from the school community throughout the entire build duration, the site was adjacent to operational classrooms.  

To ensure learning continued without disruption, Sarah’s team programmed the works to avoid any noise-generating activities during school hours and avoided dust-generating activities at lunch and recess times. 

Construction activities that required access to the wider school grounds, for example, service tie-ins, were programmed during the December school holidays.    

Adding Value to the External Environment: While delivering the project’s landscaping scope, the team found several stormwater blockages and wear- and-tear to existing irrigation systems, which they were able to remediate quickly and efficiently.  

The large, covered deck providing external play areas and open-air classrooms is constructed from sustainable, composite material EkoDeck; an alternative material manufactured with up to 90% reclaimed and recycled products.  

Latent Conditions: During a critical construction phase, the Sarah’s team discovered soil contaminants, and immediately managed a rigorous testing process to determine the extent and level of the contamination. 

This quick action significantly reduced the amount of soil affected, and allowed the team to move to additional work fronts while the soil was stockpiled and removed, and consequently, delays to the program were minimal.  

Supplier Relationships: The project’s architects had selected customised colours for elements including metal cladding, which were not readily available within the required time frames.  

Sarah’s team leveraged their relationship with the local supply chain to source standard colours which would retain the architectural intent and could be procured in time for completion as programmed.