2022 Daryl Jackson Award for Educational Architecture

Jury citation

Brisbane South State Secondary College masterfully creates connections to place that fluctuate between distant visual connections and close physical connections. Architectural devices frame significant existing landscapes, carefully intertwining these views with primary circulation systems to allow distant landscapes to become part of the intimate everyday experience and educational opportunity.

Building mass is strategically pushed to the site perimeter, creating generous internal courtyards and strong public connections. External movement systems are carefully structured around the sequence of courtyards, binding movement to landscape. The terracing of movement and landscape evokes a sense of moving through the hills, promoting the value of landscape to enrich the learning experience and subliminally improve our understanding of the world around us.

External movement spaces are shaded, ventilated and effectively developed to encourage informal meeting and learning opportunities while creating a safe and secure environment. Interior spaces allow for flexibility of use, creating short- and long-term viability that is responsive and adaptable to a variety of teaching methods.

Brisbane South State Secondary College is an exemplary outcome by BVN that will resonate beyond the borders of Queensland.

— Brisbane South State Secondary College will be reviewed in a future issue of Architecture Australia.

Project credits

Architect BVN; Project team Brian Donovan, Mark Grimmer, Ali Bounds, Terry Braddock, Abbie Lewis, Belinda McGrath, Amanda Robinson, Damian Eckersley, Ivan Tejada Navajas, Jared Bird, Katrina Robinson, Kevin O’Brien, Nathan Harry, Nik Strugar, Rachel Wardrobe, Scarlett Donovan, Scott Hardcastle, Stuart Young, Tersius Maass, Vinay Bhat, Zsolt Kiss; Builder Broad Construction; Quantity surveyor Collaborative Cost Management; Landscape consultant JFP; Civil consultant, structural engineer Bornhourst and Ward; Services consultant, Section J, acoustic consultant Stantec; Facade consultant, fire engineer WSP; BCA, DDA Philip Chun; Food services Adam Connor Design; Traffic and transport Cambray; Contractor Broad Construction; Contractor architect Plus; Project manager Ridgemill

Brisbane South State Secondary College is located in Dutton Park, Queensland on the land of the Turrbal and Yuggera peoples.