Albert Park College

by Six Degrees Architecture

Albert Park College is an adaptive reuse of a significant heritage listed warehouses in Albert Park.

The previous buildings belonged to Sandridge Post and Telegraph Office which dates back to 1887 and the Naval Drill Hall of 1911.

Design highlights of this new education space include, robust construction, light and airy interiors and an original timber floor. An insert of modern teaching pedagogy and technology have been included to create an industrial, but modern learning space for both student and teacher.

Designers Six Degrees adapted the existing mezzanine and lower floors into large teaching and learning spaces and retains the Drill Hall as a performance and teaching space.

Connection of the two levels with a stepped timber seating area gives a unique appreciation of the building volume and increases the usefulness of the space for performance and large group activities.

The Post Office is stripped to the original finishes and preserved in an elegantly unfinished state. Administrative, meeting and music rehearsal spaces are housed in this part of the development, utilizing its cellular brick spaces.

A new link makes wayfinding through the buildings logical and secure, and provides disabled access throughout the buildings.

Key design principles employed were: clear expression of the original heritage building fabric, cohesive materiality and subtle form of the inserted new works, using timber finishes to add warmth and texture and high ESD values to compliment the airy interior throughout.

Photography by Simon James.

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