PTW architects: sydney grammar school assembly hall

‘sydney grammar school assembly hall’ by PTW, sydney, australia image courtesy of michael yip all images courtesy PTW

australian firm PTW architects has completed the ‘sydney grammar school assembly hall’, a subterranean recital hall capable of seating 1500 people in sydney, australia. placed within the heart of a school complex, the venue hosts concerts and assemblies as well as facilitating interior and exterior circulation. the natural bedrock was carved to form the internal walls which become the auditorium’s focal element. the space provides functional amenities with acoustical benefits for a variety of musical performances, and ideal sight lines from the seating arrangement which wraps the perimeter. generated high reverberation time is conducive to large scale 19th and 20th century orchestras and speech audibility is ideal for assemblies. the facility is capable of high quality video recording and projection.

the constrained site led to a top down construction method, excavating below the existing playground spaces without interfering with the children’s daily activities. a large flat area was maintained at the lowest level of the stepped seating to support examinations and a regulation sized basketball court.

recital hall image courtesy of michael yip

stage image © brian steele architectural photography

aerial view image © brian steele architectural photography

excavation and construction

rendering

site plan

floor plan / level 0

section

construction sketch

project info:

design director: andrew andersons design associate: troy uleman project architect: sara best

landscape architect: context specialist lighting: steensen varming cost planner / quantity surveyor: wt partnership structural engineer: taylor thompson whitting mechanical engineer: steensen varming electrical & data engineer: steensen varming lift services: steensen varming fire services: gdk hydraulics hydraulics consultant: gdk hydraulics fire safety engineering: grubits associates acoustics consultant: acoustic studio theatre consultant: rtmi international access consultant: morris goding accessibility consulting bca consultant: steve watson and partners construction consultant: baseline constructions heritage: nbrs & partners archaeology: cultural resources management geotechnical: douglas partners

construction manager: southern cross projects project manager: morgan moore and associates