Skipton Primary School
Traditional Custodians:
Wadawurrung.
Typology:
Education
Location:
Montgomery St, Skipton, Victoria, Australia
Project value:
$4.2m
Builder:
Ducon Building Solutions
Brief:
The scope of the project is for the modernisation and upgrade of the Skipton Primary School.
Collaborators:
AMKAD Group
Hagebols Engineering
ABDEC Group
North Projects
Mexted Rimmer
Renzo Tonin
Modernisation.
The removal of the old timber extension and repurposing of many of the existing spaces has allowed the historic school and building to be refreshed and modernised.
The new Support Hub is centred around the historic building with a new addition providing Admin Office, Store, First Aid, and staff and student amenities. The Learning Community is now focused in the existing LTC wing with three redeveloped classrooms now having direct access to an external deck, allowing outdoor learning opportunities.
Enhancing heritage through functional design.
The Skipton community has been served by the beautiful 3 room brick building since the 1880’s. Though over the years, extensions and neglect have aged the building. Our mission was to modernise the school learning experience, while ensuring that our interventions paid respect to, and honoured the historic building. Rebuilt timber windows, repointed brick work, and refreshed interiors have upgraded the building, complemented by our new extensions, designed to sit in the building’s shadow.
Accessibility, elevated.
The addition of a ‘skip’ ramp, which does not require identifiable hand rails and is more comfortable for those with mobility issues, was integrated into the overall design ensuring accessibility to students, staff, and visitors. Plinths to the outer edges of the ramp have been purposed for casual seating and planting, as opposed to discernible separate elements.