Following the extensive refurbishment of St Brendan’s heritage
church, FPPV were engaged by the St Brendan’s parish to
undertake a masterplan for the primary school. This masterplan
led directly to the design and construction of a new sports hall
and multi-purpose space.
Requiring a creative approach to spatial limitations and highly
restrictive Town Planning requirements, this project provided a
full-sized basketball court on a small, built-up site. The court was
required to conform to EPA acoustic limits due to the proximity
of surrounding neighbours. The solution was to tuck the form
between two buildings and install large vertically sliding glass
panels at each end, in effect creating a covered open area.
One end opens into the central outdoor space at the school and
the other opens directly onto the street. The space is used during
school hours for sport, drama, music and school assemblies,
as well as much needed covered play space during recess and
lunch. Outside school hours and on weekends, the space is used
as a community sports facility, or for public gathering, including
for weekend markets run by the community.
The cost effective and sustainable solution has given a strong
focus to the school and community. Small details such as the use
of coloured film offer both an inexpensive infusion of colour and
flexibility for future changes.