Australian Capital Territory
The Collegians Centre is a new multi-function facility at Radford College that provides flexible spaces that can be used for indoor sport, school assembly, day to day classes, training and other educational activities. As a facility and as a building, the Collegians Centre forms the centrepiece of the developing sports precinct at the eastern edge of the campus, and it also defines the campus public face on College Street. Engineering solutions are combined with a finely tuned interior design to create legible and elegant spaces that are highly functional, durable, and will contribute to the promotion of an inclusive, safe, healthy, and stimulating learning environment.
Award for Educational Architecture
Working within a strong campus vision, the Radford College Collegians Centre by Stewart Architecture elevates the humble provision of an assembly and sports hall space into a confident urban move that curates the surrounding spaces.
The Centre elegantly gathers and clarifies the adjoining sports fields, and forecourts whilst reconciling a two-storey hillside. The interplay of scale results in an interplay of a solid single storey façade anchoring the upper level and a permeable façade to the lower cricket ground all connected by an uplifting light infused space.
Flexible seating and adept acoustics allow the building to transform from a multi-purpose sports hall into an assembly space, and even a stage for national basketball games.
Expression of external portal frames engages the building in a dialogue with the structural cadence of the nearby cricket centre framing the ground as a communal room.
The upper terrace square addresses the axial movement through the site, with a downhill entry addressing the ceremonial entry to the school.
Schools are the formative spaces of our lives, and the Collegians Centre is the new heart of the school and a true ‘city building’ keystone that will elevate the learning experience.
When Radford College announced the construction of a multi-function Hall now known as the Collegians Centre, the stated vision was for it to become, first and foremost, a centrally located gathering place. Growing to more than 2180 students, the College had lacked an indoor space large enough to accommodate all Junior School and Secondary School students and hundreds of staff for major events. The Whole College Commencement Service on February 9, 2024, was an impressive sight for all in attendance.
Marcus Graham, Principal
Igor Kochovski, Project Architect
Matt Foong, Architect
Marney Burns, Interior Designer
Kathreen Suarez, Interior Designer
Nicolas Lucchesi, Graduate of Architecture
Jonathan Le Chung, Graduate of Architecture
ACOR Rudds, Acoustic Consultant
ACOR Rudds, Electrical Consultant
ACOR Rudds, Hydraulic Consultant
Arrow Projects, Project Manager
Cardno, Civil Consultant
CBS Building Surveyors, Access Consultant & BCA Certifier
Envirolinks, Landscape Consultant
Lit Consulting, Fire Safety Engineer
Sellick Consultants, Structural Engineer
The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
