Inner Sydney High School

It was important that the bulk and scale required of a large school accommodating 1200 students on a tight urban site, did not overwhelm the existing heritage campus and surrounding public domain. Conceptually the form was conceived as a series of identifiable elements carefully articulated to respond to the scale of the existing context, creating a campus sitting comfortably within Prince Alfred Park.

The elements of the new building form consist of;
A series of landscaped terraces(from lower ground to level 1), form an open podium and public entry forecourt connecting all levels of the heritage buildings whilst blurring the boundary between park and school.

The Studio; suspended above the terraces, is a large flexible two storey volume, articulated in scale to respond to the proportions and sit as a backdrop to the heritage fabric.
Interconnecting these elements is the concept of the tree that grows and links, taking the form of the main vertical circulation spine.

Adjacent sits the Verandah; (on the northern face of the nine level main tower volume) providing a series of open outdoor learning areas overlooking the park.

To the south sit the Clouds; two three storey volumes of connected learning spaces hovering above Cleveland Street.

Interspersed between these elements are external learning and recreational spaces, from elevated undercrofts, between the cloud volumes, to an open outdoor multipurpose sports court above the studio and protected courtyards formed by the heritage buildings and articulated by the landscaped terraces of the podium. Finally a basement level accommodates the multipurpose Gymnasium and Movement studio.