Green Square Public School and Community Spaces | BVN

The William E Kemp Award for Educational Architecture

This project is an exemplary piece of social infrastructure that seamlessly integrates into Zetland’s evolving community core. 

The dual program is expertly resolved, with the openness of the ground floor clearly signifying its community purpose – together with primary school uses that are vertically integrated across the three upper levels. Of the shared spaces, the double height multi-purpose court is most notable.  Its artwork feels joyful, well suited to a primary school and uniquely connected to community and Place. 

The architecture demonstrates a deep understanding of active young learners – with low sills and balustrades to expand their outlook, tensile mesh screens and Softfall on most outdoor surfaces to keep them safe.  The classrooms themselves are thoughtfully scaled and detailed, with clever storage and neatly concealed sliding and stacking walls that create calm and flexible learning environments. 

The distinctive perimeter screen evokes the proportion, scale and materiality of previous uses, while providing identity, shading and visual security for the school.  From within, its chequered transparency is a visual filter to the outside world. 

The project design team (and client agencies) is to be congratulated on the ingenuity, vision and commitment to design excellence that has achieved this outstanding civic project.   

Lord Mayor's Prize

The 2026 Lord Mayor’s Prize recognises a project that enhances not only the quality of our public domain, but of community life more broadly – through architectural and urban design excellence.

When complete, Green Square will be one of Australia’s most densely populated residential communities. No space can afford to be lazy.

The innovative design provides much-needed community facilities that will be activated day and night. By day, a state-of-the-art public school. Beyond school hours, bookable rooms and multipurpose courts open to the wider community, making a significant contribution to the area’s educational, social and cultural life.

To house these facilities, BVN conceived a functionally elegant, four-dimensional artwork. Instead of a front, back and sides, the wrap around design addresses three street frontages with a screen of hit and miss tiles suspended on mesh. The building is playful and airy, while remaining secure.

It serves as a fitting lynchpin for the growing Green Square precinct, linking the new early learning centre, library and aquatic centre into a cohesive civic heart.

This project demonstrates the power of strategic planning, of strong collaboration between local and state government, and of excellence in architecture and execution. It sets a new benchmark for how dense urban communities can be supported through thoughtful, integrated design.