The new Bardia Public School is an inspiring learning environment accommodating up to 1,000 students. It replaces the original school built in 1974 that served the former Bardia Army Barracks at Ingleburn in Sydney’s southwest. The new school is a response to the population growth predicted by the Edmondson Park Masterplan. It accommodates the equivalent of 40 home-base classrooms, four special education units, a communal hall, community learning centre, new synthetic sports field and a variety of outdoor play and learning areas.

Learning spaces are positioned around a central oval-shaped courtyard, creating an inclusive environment that acts as a ‘heart’ to the school, sheltering from the new major roads and creating visual connections, while providing the school with a unique identity within the new community. The communal hall and learning centre are located in a linked element encouraging shared use and community engagement, while maintaining security outside school hours. Defined and intimate learning zones within the large volumes enable a series of distinctive but flexible learning settings that foster collaboration, creativity, critical thinking and problem solving.

The facility is planned to maximise natural daylight, passive natural ventilation and views to nature. These strategies are supported by solar shading, minimal reliance on mechanical heating and cooling, and energy-efficient artificial lighting. A roof-mounted photovoltaic system works to offset the energy consumption of the air-conditioning system (which was introduced late in the program), while irrigation is fed from the onsite detention tank. Fixtures minimise water consumption.

Collaboration with educational consultant New Learning Environments was critical to developing a design that met the objectives for future-focused education spaces that align pedagogy and space.

Furniture: BFX, Norva Nivel, Woods Furniture, Sebel, Chair Solutions, Civic Australia Mode 3, Abex, Batger Furniture, Watts Commercial Furniture, DDK, Brownbuilt, PC Locs Revolution. Lighting: Contessa Lighting. Finishes: EC Group, Tarkett, Armstrong, Living Tiles, Calibre Concepts, Johnson Tiles, RMA Sport, CSR Gyprock, Décor Systems, HVG, Laminex, Equitone, Woven Image, Nolan UDA, Instyle, Vertilux, Silex Gliss, Walmay, Terrazzo Australian Marble. Fittings & Fixtures: Enware, Clark, GWA Bathrooms & Kitchens, Caroma, Britex, RBA Group, Bobrick, JD MacDonald, Ram Tapware, Galvin Engineering, Stainless Steel Craft, Zip Industries.

Photography: Tom Ferguson