Carey Baptist Grammar Middle School

Location – Kew, Victoria
Year - 2020
Architect - Architectus
Developer – Carey Baptist Grammar School
Builder – Monaco Hickey
Featured Products – Acoustic operable walls

Carey Baptist Grammar School is a leading Christian co-educational independent school, committed to student-centred learning and well-being. Architectus collaborated with school leaders, students and teachers to develop an education design brief which creates purposeful learning settings and clearly articulated circulation paths for the Centre for Creativity & Collaboration.

Architectus approached Häfele to assist in the documentation of two large multi-purpose acoustic operable walls for the development. Located in the auditorium sound transference was an important consideration for the wall selection.

With semi-automatic compression seals on both top and bottom the Slido Wall P60-110A can achieve an acoustic rating of 57DB, making it an ideal choice for this application. The wall panels are clad in both a pin board and magnetic white board material to allow multipurpose use of space. The pin board material not only providing a functional purpose to the learning environment also aids in the rooms ability to absorb sound reverberation.

The first wall 3mtrs high by 9mtrs long creates the link between the old building and the new. A pair of access doors positioned in the wall also provide safety egress for the new extension.

The second wall is a compound wall made of 3 x separable portions, the overall span reaching 25mtrs in length. Careful consideration of position and planning was necessary to avoid structural elements. Two of the moveable panels within the wall are made with very specific angles to allow the wall to manoeuvre around pillars. The entire wall can be split in the middle with two parking bays for the panels, one to each end.

Häfele enjoyed collaborating with Architectus throughout this prestigious project, from very early planning and documentation stages, through to on site installation and handover.

Architectus has won an award for the Carey Baptist Grammar School Redevelopment - World Architecture News (WAN), Future Projects Education Award, 2018