1+2 Architecture acknowledges the Palawa people as the traditional custodians of lutruwita, the lands on which our company is located and where we conduct our business. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present. We are committed to honouring Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society.
Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School
LOCATION + TRADITIONAL COUNTRY
The Palawa, Bellerive, Tasmania
CLIENT
Not applicable
STATUS
Built (2010)
AWARDS
Not applicable
media
Not applicable
PHOTOGRAPHY
1+2 Architecture
The redevelopment of Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School in Bellerive, Tasmania, modernised and expanded the facilities of an established school community, creating contemporary environments for learning, creativity, play and performance.
Building on a campus that has evolved since the school's establishment in 1936, the project brought together a diverse range of refurbished and new facilities within a coordinated architectural response, balancing the practical demands of a busy primary school with a distinctive and engaging design expression.
KEY COLLABORATORS
+ Builder:
+ Structural Engineering:
Aldanmark Consulting Engineers
+ Services Engineering:
+ Building Surveyor:
+ Land Surveyor:
Place
Located on Alma Street, Corpus Christi has grown through successive additions and changes over many decades. The redevelopment provided an opportunity to renew and expand the existing campus while responding to the school's evolving educational, recreational and community needs.
Rather than treating each facility as an isolated intervention, the project brought a contemporary architectural language to the established school environment, creating a more cohesive setting for the varied activities of school life.
Process
The works encompassed the modernisation and expansion of primary learning areas, redevelopment of kindergarten and outside school hours care facilities, and improvements to the music department, school hall and performance spaces. An extended and modernised library, outdoor learning and play areas, a new canteen and a uniform store further broadened the range of facilities available to the school community.
Bold colour and contrasting forms give the architecture a distinctive sense of energy and playfulness. Vibrant façade elements and interior finishes introduce variety and visual interest, providing an expressive contemporary identity for the redeveloped campus. This approach brings character to the different learning and activity spaces while distinguishing the new architectural interventions from the accumulated fabric of the existing school.
“…The fact that the four tenders were so close is a testament to the work you put in to the preparation of the planning and how thoroughly you had researched all requirements.
It has been a pleasure to work with you, and I look forward to continuing the journey as the building works commence.”
Mary Turnock — Principal
Impact
The redevelopment has renewed the capacity of the campus to support the full breadth of school life, bringing learning, creative, recreational and care facilities together within an expanded and modernised environment. By addressing a wide range of needs through a coordinated redevelopment, the project makes more effective use of the established school site while providing contemporary facilities for students and staff.
The bold use of colour and form gives the campus a renewed architectural identity, creating an environment that feels lively, welcoming and appropriate to a primary school community. The project demonstrates how the thoughtful renewal of an existing school can extend its usefulness and enrich its character, providing a more diverse range of spaces to support learning and the many activities that make up school life.
Awards + Jury Citation
