Wadawurrung people of the Kulin Nation
Victorian
St Patrick’s College Performing Arts Centre represents a once in a generation transformation project for the school. The centrepiece is an 800 seat auditorium with retractable seating can host a range of events from school assemblies, music/drama performances to community events.
In addition, the black box rehearsal studio is a flexible space with the opportunity for practice or small-scale drama performances. A series of rehearsal studios and purpose built areas for performing arts and staff spaces support the main space.
Set within an historic 120 year old campus in Ballarat, the surrounding significant heritage buildings have been carefully considered in the architectural design. Located adjacent to the formal gardens, the building complements the primary frontage and assists in the development of a new campus forecourt and entry.
The design response is contemporary but integrated with the campus context through careful consideration of scale, rhythm and materiality.
Commendation for Educational Architecture
The new performing arts centre for St Patrick’s College is a refined yet robust response to a hard-working brief. The considered spatial planning and careful integration of services allow for a range of uses and modes. The red textured precast panels appear to drape the building like a curtain, the repeating rhythm responding to the more delicate scale of the adjacent heritage–listed building, while offering a sense of monumentality and grandeur along the street frontage. Overall, a highly skilled outcome.
Meaghan Dwyer, Project Architect
John Wardle, Design Architect
Luke Jarvis, Project Architect
Ariani Anwar, Project Architect
Jenna Ong, Interior Designer
Alan Ting, Design Architect
Meron Tierney, Project Architect
Tom Denham, Graduate of Architecture
Jeff Arnold, Interior Designer
Lily Horne, Graduate of Architecture
Adam Kolsrud, Technical lead
Patrick Bullen, Project Architect
Adrian Bonaventura, Graduate of Architecture
Cardno/TGM, Structural/Civil/Town Planning
Dodds Doherty, Fire Engineer
ESR Transport Planning, Traffic Engineer
Gallagher Jeffs, Project Manager
Line of Sight Heritage, Heritage Consultant
McKenzie Group, Building Surveyor
Meinhardt Group, Services Consultant
Papworth Davies, Landscape Consultant
Schuler Shook, Theatre Consultant