Creating independent living for primary and secondary students at this non-denominational Christian education boarding school

Great Southern Grammar – Boarding Houses 4 & 5

As part of a 20-year expansion plan, the independent Great Southern Grammar school in Western Australia embarked on a boarding house project. This would consist of two new boarding houses to expand the school’s boarding capacity to serve the Great Southern Region.

We were involved in the mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, structural, and civil design with designers from both our Perth and Albany offices working together to ensure the project's success. As we were working on a sloped site, the ground conditions were poor, and we had to work with and around soft sludge and rock outcroppings. We overcame the challenging conditions with different foundation base solutions—such as ground bearing footings, the separation of buildings through materials, and by controlling movement around the site. We used geotechnical evidence and site investigation to test solutions.

Both new boarding houses boast individual student accommodation rooms, common dining and recreation/entertainment facilities, common bathrooms and laundry, and a private wing for a “house parent” family unit. This helps instill independence and support independent learning for students and groups.