IF IT’S about function as well as form, the Cowes Primary School’s new gymnasium should win the ‘Commercial, Community and Public Award’ at the 2022 Architeam Awards Night, on Friday, November 18, hands down.
According to principal of the Cowes Primary School, Rod McKenzie, the new gym has been an absolute godsend through the wet winter and spring this year, since being opened in May 2022.
“It’s been fantastic and not only for us, for the community as well,” said Mr McKenzie this week.
The school has been able to continue all of its PE programs, even on the wettest days, and when required, has been able to come together as a whole school community for assemblies.
Designed by Project 12 Architecture and built by Becon Constructions, the building has been nominated as one of four finalists in the Commercial, Community and Public building section of this year’s Architeam awards.
The award for Commercial, Community and Public architecture could include multi-residential projects over $2 million, including offices, hospitality venues, retail shops, community centres, places of worship, showrooms, architectural studios, warehouses and more.
The Phillip Island Primary School’s project finished up being a $5.5 million competition-grade gymnasium, funded by two rounds of grants from the State Government, $550,000 from the 2019–20 State Budget and a further $4.95 million in 2020.
The finalists for this category are as follows:
- Spring Bay Mill – Gilby and Brewin Architecture
- Cowes Primary School New Gymnasium – Project 12 Architecture
- Butcher Shop Convert – Tsai Design
- Hampton Park Secondary College Senior Learning Centre – WOWOWA
The ‘competition-grade’ gymnasium was built to meet the growing needs of students and the local community. The new gym gives students a multi-purpose play space, and the local community can share these state-of-the-art facilities outside school hours.
It is already being heavily used for community basketball.
Architeam is a membership association for Australian architects in small, medium and emerging practices. With 1000 members nationally, the association has been supporting young and small-scale practices for 30 years.
In fact, this year’s awards night will also be the organisation’s 30th birthday celebration.
The awards were open to all association members around Australia and included categories for new residential projects; residential alterations and additions; commercial, community and public architecture; unbuilt projects; and awards for innovation and contribution.
This year’s jury comprised chair Adam Newman of NWMN Architects, Fiona Dunin of FMD, Rory Hyde from Melbourne School of Design, Amy Muir of Muir Architecture, Jenni Officer of Officer Woods, Will Fung of CO-AP Architects, and Anthony Gill of practice his of the same name.
The winners will be announced on Friday, November 18 at the headquarters of circular fashion label A.BCH Unit in Sims Street West Melbourne.
Already a winner
The Cowes Primary School was already a winner in the 2022 Victorian School Design Awards
It won the ‘Best School Project between $5 Million and $10 Million’ category announced last month.
The winning entry was the ‘Modernisation of Cowes Primary School’ including its $5.5 million competition stadium which incorporates the schools’ swimming pool and outdoor play and sports spaces.
According to the Victorian Building Authority, each of the winning projects, including the Best Primary School Project by Kerstin Thompson Architects & McBride Charles Ryan for Clyde Creek Primary School, create places where students can learn new things in better ways.
Some turn schools into community hubs, sharing sport, health, art and other resources that bring people together.
Other designs make schools and kinders better for students of all abilities. Many preserve important heritage features or honour local Indigenous history.
These awards help drive design excellence. They also showcase best-practice to inspire other schools planning similar projects.
