ALDERCOURT PRIMARY SCHOOL
2023-2025
‘The roof hovers above the masonry, creating a row of clerestory windows that wrap around the building, providing natural light throughout the day.’
March Studio’s first primary school project reworks an existing 1960s campus to deliver a new library, masterplan upgrades and outdoor play facilities, including a basketball court and long jump pit. Rather than replace, the project begins with retention. The original concrete slab, brick walls and primary structure are preserved, recognising both their robustness and the value of working with what already exists.
The intervention focuses on the roof. By lifting and extending it, the project creates additional volume and introduces an abundance of natural light into the library. A new lightweight steel structure supports this elevated roof, which hovers above the retained masonry. This move forms a continuous band of clerestory windows that wrap the perimeter, bringing consistent daylight deep into the plan while maintaining the familiar scale and rhythm of the existing school buildings. The geometry follows the original roofline, allowing the addition to sit comfortably within its context rather than compete with it.
New covered walkways, also following the roofline, extend this language across the site, continuing the network of sheltered circulation. These allow students to move from one side of the school to the other during inclement weather without exposure. At the front of the library, a series of tiered, covered steps forms a long-awaited sheltered area for school pick-ups.
Internally, the library is conceived as a clear, reconfigurable space. Custom-designed, lightweight furniture allows the room to be rearranged for different modes of learning, from individual study to group activities. Bookshelves are positioned along the perimeter to keep the centre open, with outward-facing “waterfall” displays that encourage interaction and discovery. Materially, the interior is restrained. WOCA-stained plywood lines the walls and joinery, maintaining low VOC performance and a calm, durable backdrop. Colour is introduced through books, students and occupation rather than applied finishes.
Beyond the building, new external works support play and movement, embedding the project within the daily life of the school. Delivered efficiently and with minimal intervention, the project demonstrates how careful adaptation can extend the life of existing structures while providing contemporary, flexible learning environments.
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EDUCTATION
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COMPLETE
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BUNURONG | FRANKSTON | VICTORIA
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STRUCTURAL ENGINEER | CO-STRUCT
BUILDER | NEO CONSTRUCT