allen jack+cottier: kerry murphy building

‘kerry murphy building’ by allen jack+cottier, sydney, australia image © nic bailey all images courtesy of allen jack+cottier

constructed as an addition for the international grammar school in ultimo, sydney, australian and chinese firm allen jack+cottier created a fun environment to foster the interest and imagination of the students. the four-storey ‘kerry murphy building’ now includes an arts and crafts facility, library, staff offices and an indoor recreation room, with a projected playground on the roof to be shaded by an assembly of photovoltaic cells. the semi-detached nature of the adjunct structure connects to the existing school on only two floors, allowing public use of the new services without disturbing the children’s learning process. vertical circulation has been pushed to the back, centrally located between the ensemble of educational volumes for efficient access.

the dyed pre-cast wall panels contain an embedded layer of polystyrene and are coated with two thin films of structural concrete for advanced insulation. high efficiency glass panes were attached to the cut-outs with VHB structural glazing tape to reduce thermal bridging and minimizing the appearance of the connection detail. the entire facade was erected in an impressive fourteen hours. cross ventilation was carefully designed to account for shifting winds with strategically placed operable windows and all greywater is collected and reused.

entry image © michael nocholson