2022 National Commendation for Educational Architecture

Jury citation

Ultimo Public School strategically transforms a challenging sloping site into a sequence of complex and diverse experiences. Learning spaces, recreation and landscape are merged into one by the skilfully developed terraces that cascade down the slope, providing an abundance of light, ventilation and landscape opportunities. Teaching can extend into exterior areas, allowing landscape to inform learning.

Terracing in section and extended arms in plan encourage interconnectedness between year groups while providing for more legible wayfinding. A safe and nurturing environment is created through spaces that allow for individual contemplation as well as collective excitement and engagement. Precise openings in the street elevations create opportunities for controlled community engagement, reinforcing a sense of community in a safe environment. Material robustness and experimentation extend the students’ educational opportunities and spatial awareness.

Project credits

Architect Design Inc Sydney, Lacoste and Stevenson and BMC2 (architects in association); Project team Thierry Lacoste, Belinda Dawes, Tristan Balogh, David Stevenson, Angela Rowson, Lila Oliver, Yna Ying, Sandeep Amin, Jacqueline Urford, Jacqueline Ong, Helen Chan, Ngoc Tran, Fatemeh Azizian, Rebecca Kwok, Mark Stolz, Tim Garry, Anita Hobbs, Miriam Enoch, Adam Parsons, Jaycy Lee, Ingrid Cheng, Maria Rigoli, Nidhi Sharma; Builder Hindmarsh; Landscape consultant Design Inc Sydney; Environmental consultant Environmental Investigation Services; Geotechnical consultant JK Geotechnics; Sustainability, lighting and services consultant JHA Consulting Engineers; Sustainability consultant Action Sustainability Asia Pacific; Site auditor Senversa; Project manager, public consultation HKA; Heritage consultant Urbis; Aboriginal archaeology AMAC Group; Town planner Roberts Day; Wind consultant Windtech Consultants; Fire engineer Defire; BCA BCA Logic; Section J BCA Energy; Traffic engineer Arup; Building surveyor Cardno; Quantity surveyor Mitchell Brandtman; Arborist Raintree Consulting; Waste consultant Foresight Environmental

Ultimo Public School is located in Ultimo, New South Wales on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation.