The newly built Williamstown High School, designed by
Melbourne based Architects, Spowers, has taken off a third major
award in the past six months.
On Saturday night in Sydney, Spowers were awarded the 2008
Environmentally Sustainable Design Award for the design of
Williamstown High School at the National Interior Design Awards.
Image right:: Jenni Webster
The project has also won Best Secondary School Design in Victoria
and Best Overall School Design at the Victorian Schools Design
Awards 2007.
Jenni Webster, Associate at Spowers
Architects said, that school buildings should play a major role
in climate change and environmental education and it is vital the
interiors of these buildings provide educational opportunities.
Image left: Williamstown High School
Ms Webster said, "the interior design of the Williamstown High
School allows students to look inside the roof structure to get an
understanding of construction methods by only lining half of the
ceiling.
"The design of the school and principles of waste, use of
recycled materials, water and energy management creates a unique
learning environment and an opportunity for the transfer of
environmental knowledge to the students of the future."
Ms Webster said the designing of such schools required the
support of staff and school councils and she thanked Steve Cook, the
Campus Principal, School Council, staff and students for their
support in bringing the project to fruition.
"At Williamstown High School the buildings are fully naturally
ventilated - no air-conditioning - with high level louvres and
thermal chimneys to be used for night purging of the internal air
during the summer months."
Ms Webster said that other environmental features include:
reverse (recycled) brick veneer walls, high performance single
glazing, hollow core concrete plank construction, rainwater
collection that is used for toilet flushing and irrigation, solar
hot water, recycling of existing materials such as the timber floor
in the atrium, minimisation of PVC, low off-gassing materials and
finishes and low energy light fittings.
An energy monitoring system is also installed which calculates
the school usage of water, gas and electricity and is then displayed
on TV screens around the school. Students are able to compare their
usage on a daily basis and between other facilities.
The school is currently being used as one of six educational
facilities in Australia to pilot the Green Star Education rating
tool. The Green Star tool, developed by the Green Buildings Council
of Australia and based on similar rating systems in the UK and USA,
is designed to rate the top sustainable buildings in the country.
The tool assesses all areas of the building including energy use,
emissions, water use, transport, materials, ecology and management.
"The design of the school and the materials throughout has been
chosen to limit maintenance costs which many schools face with
traditional school designs.
"Colour has also played a major role in the design with bright
water tanks scattered throughout the site and black piping being
used to colour code where rainwater is coming from and what it is
being used for," Ms Webster said.
The school complex accommodates 750 students in Years 7, 8 &
9 and 70 staff. It consists of 4 buildings (2 teaching blocks, a
gymnasium and a horticulture facility) totalling 5300sqm on a
suburban coastal site with magnificent access to and views of Port
Philip and the Jawbone Marine Sanctuary.
Stages 1 & 2 (general teaching facilities) opened in February
2007 and the final stages (gymnasium & canteen) were completed
in January 2008.
Williamstown High School, Bayview Street Campus, Williamstown
About
Spowers
Media Enquiries:
Jenni Webster, Associate, Spowers
Architects Mobile: 0407 538 509
Ron Smith Corporate Media
Communications (03) 9818 5700 Mobile: 0417 329 201
