inner city college

The Inner City College sets out the vision for a vibrant, innovative and imaginative brand new secondary school in the heart of Subiaco, opening in 2020. Built on Kitchener Park it will eventually support 2000 students in the future.

Working with an architectural joint venture (T&Z and Bateman Architects), the college landscape established by REALMstudios has been designed to provide exceptional student amenity but to also serve as a hub for the local community. The project governance was complex, requiring review and input throughout the design process from the Department of Education, Building Management and Works (Department of Finance), City of Subiaco and the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority (MRA) the consent authority (MRA).

The design is centred on a fusion of the two classical amphitheatre theatre typologies – Greek and Roman – to provide an oval shaped space, nestled into the school site with a visual connection to a broader landscape beyond. The theatre is developed with integrated seating, raised planters and ramps to facilitate cross site links. Seating nooks and niches and green spaces are integrated into the design. Tree canopy is very important in this design, to both frame and provide critical shade to the space. The lowest oval form is turfed to provide softening to the space and an outdoor area for activities, play and events. The oval was modelled to negotiate an important public interface along Coghlan Road resulting in a dynamic and activated edge condition that is responsive to various requirements and uses.