Three Sydney schools will receive upgrades together worth $290 million, after the New South Wales government gave the projects the green light.
The Architectus-designed $250 million overhaul of Chatswood Public School and Chatswood High School will deliver more than 150 new and refurbished teaching spaces along with dedicated performing arts spaces, new sport and recreational facilities and new libraries.
Education minister Sarah Mitchell said the school upgrades would transform the teaching and learning experiences for students and staff.
“Upgrades to Chatswood Public School will include up to 53 classrooms with special programs and support classrooms while Chatswood High School will include up to 123 classrooms with special support classrooms,” she said.
The character for each of the Chatswood schools is distinct. Architectus describes how Chatswood Public School on Pacific Highway will have a fine-grain urban character with brick and sandstone, while Chatswood High School on Centennial Avenue will embrace its natural bush setting.
Meanwhile, the $40 million upgrade to Darlington Public School, designed by FJMT, will deliver 19 teaching spaces, a special programs room, canteen and a library.
FJMT’s design reponds to the existing character of the school, which “sits at the nexus between the fine grain of the Darlington terrace houses and the large scale of the University of Sydney.”
“The urban response to the site is to continue the dominant street alignment of the terrace houses which characterise the surrounding context,” the design report states.
“The rhythm of the existing buildings that characterises the suburb of Darlington has been maintained, where the new development draws reference from the surrounding context and key buildings.”
