The State Government have announced their new vertical Primary School and Child Care project in Ferrars Street, South Melbourne. It is the first school in Victoria, possibly Australia, that is designed for 5 storeys above ground. It is the first Primary School of its kind.  There are other schools built with more than one floor level but it has never been accepted for government primary schools.

The innovative design incorporates design solutions RBS Building Surveyors will be approving to meet the performance based Building Code of Australia. It utilises cost effective structural construction & materials, special evacuation modelling from a fire safety engineered design perspective, fire sprinkler system, fire detection and alarm and other fire suppression to ensure the building can perform and is fit for occupation in all aspects of fire and life safety requirements.

Reddo are proud to be associated with this community shared project developed by designers Hayball Architects, Wallbridge & Gilbert, Simpson Kotzman and Exova Warringtonfire.

The South Melbourne Primary School will be Victoria’s first vertical school. On a compact inner urban site of 5000m2, it will be located in the Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal Area which is expected to grow to 80,000 residents over the next 40 years.

Involving the development of a new model for school and community, a key innovation is the unprecedented integration of shared school and community facilities. As well as a government primary school for 525 students, the project includes an early learning centre, administration, multi-purpose community rooms, a recreation hub (indoor netball courts) and associated amenities.

The project demonstrates forward planning of community infrastructure by local and state governments, with the shared facilities forming a mutually supporting complex of excellent and wide ranging services for an emerging local community in one of Australia’s largest urban renewal areas.

Work on South Melbourne Primary School started this week, and the first students will be through the doors in 2018.