Moonee Ponds West Primary School
Moonee Ponds, VIC
This significant refurbishment project transformed a heritage-listed Hall Building, constructed in 1912, and a locally significant heritage library building into contemporary learning environments, delivering diverse general and specialist learning and breakout spaces, as well as a new library facility, while respecting and showcasing the buildings’ historic architectural character.
Client
Victorian School
Building Authority
Project Budget
$7.6M
Lead Consultant
BSPN Architecture
BRT Scope of Service
Building Services
Engineering from
Masterplanning to
Defects Liability Period
Our four-year relationship with BSPN Architecture and experience with VSBA projects enabled us to balance the competing demands of heritage conservation and contemporary Building Quality Standards for Schools.
As the existing historic buildings had undergone multiple upgrades and changes over time, we needed to conduct thorough site services investigations to understand the existing conditions and determine upgrade requirements. We carefully assessed what could be reused or repurposed to minimise necessary upgrades to fire services and checked electrical systems to avoid costly infrastructure improvements. We also assessed the building services implications of parallel challenges, such as roof drainage issues, providing critical advice that proved essential
in managing cost implications and informing scope resolution. Working within the historic fabric required careful navigation—from determining how to conceal cable work within heritage walls to selecting and locating mechanical plant with consideration of protecting street views and minimising noise to neighbours.
Our systems thinking extended beyond the immediate buildings to consider the entire school campus. We upgraded fire services to enable compliance across adjacent buildings, advocating with the VSBA and architect to install fire hydrant infrastructure that serves the broader campus, delivering value that extends well beyond the immediate project scope.