2022 Tasmanian Architecture Awards
Dover District School Year 11/12 Redevelopment | Bence Mulcahy
Educational Architecture
Dover, Port Esperance, 81km south of Hobart is Australia’s southern most town. Population 486.
This project for a new year 11 and 12 facility at Dover District School, removes barriers to tertiary education for a small and remote community.
A contemporary teaching space provides options for full-time study and shared enrolments with other state education offerings, for adult learners and the local community.
The school’s original 1950’s hall is extended.
The new building overlooks the town and port, privileging the students experience of the dramatic landscape and connecting to the community.
The exterior is drawn from existing gabled and skillion roof forms. Folding roof planes articulate the three teaching spaces.
Sensitivity to the existing material palette and a desire for local materials saw the selection of Tasmanian-made, carbon neutral red brick.
Client perspective:
“The project benefits the way we educate through so many of the new building’s tangible and intangible aspects where the centrepiece window-wall and artful integration of old with new, both intrigues and invites inspection and motivates participation.
Locating the building to capture the commanding panorama over the Dover Community and Port Esperance Bay, immediately excites users, where the striking asymmetry inspires students towards innovative thinking and creative learning.
Through the buildings functional adaptability, we bring educational experiences to multiple users, large gatherings, traditional class groups, collaborative clusters, or bespoke individual learning, all with line of sight for ease of management.”
Architect
Practice team
Sophie Bence, Project Architect
Shamus Mulcahy, Design Architect
Bek Verrier, Design Architect
Hannah Webber, Design Architect
Mike Renshaw, Designer/Documenter
Dylan Rowbottom, Graduate of Architecture
CONSULTANT AND CONSTRUCTION TEAM
Tascon Constructions PTY Ltd, Builder
RED Sustainability Consultants, Energy Consultant
Gandy & Roberts Consulting Engineers, Structural & Hydraulic Engineering
Lee Tyers Building Surveying, Building Surveyor
Coordinated Engineering Services, Mechanical & Electrical Engineering
National Partners
Tasmanian Chapter Awards Partners
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