Project:
Bossley Park High School – New Sporting Facilities Complex
Client:
Asset Management Unit – Department of Education NSW
Location:
Bossley Park, NSW
Approximate value:
$6 m
Floor area:
2000m2
Completion:
Under development
History:
The original custodians of an area extending to the Bossley Park district are the Gandangara people. Bossley Park was named after the Bossley family, who lived in the area in the 1800s. The school was first opened as Bossley Park Provisional School, with its first class held on 16th November 1890.
Community profile:
Bossley Park High School is a government secondary school with a co-educational student population with comprehensive curriculums, located in the City of Fairfield. The school aims to cater to the needs of its diverse community and emphasizes its range of school activities. 82% of students belong to cultural groups that are non-English speaking. They are mostly from South East Asian, Arabic, Italian, Assyrian, Eastern European and Spanish cultures.
Design resolution:
The new Sporting Facilities Complex is a rectangular building that houses 2 basketball courts in a row and adjacent amenities rooms. This project started in 2019 and the initial concept was a simple concrete tilt up panels box with a metallic roof lid. The design development led to simple improvements that substantially enhanced the architectural qualities of the building. By introducing an horizontal angle to the vertical concrete blades, the building benefits from natural light and ventilation. The created angular openings will also allow the students to have an external outlook. The relationship with the surrounding external green spaces was a very important feature during the design process.
Polycarbonate double glazed walls were introduced on the upper level of the majority of the vertical blades to provide better thermal insulation and natural light. This material provides the building with dynamic aesthetic qualities as the facade appearance changes throughout the day, depending on the light sources and intensity. The new sporting facilities complex will operate as a shining light box in the early morning and late afternoon.
