Preston High School is a busy co-ed public college campus located in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
RDLA has been part of the project team led by Smith + Tracey Architects since 2021, delivering a number of stages of work as the campus has been steadily upgraded and expanded to accommodate a growing student cohort.
The design process began in 2021 as we assisted with an overall Landscape Masterplan which looked at opportunities to better link the campus pedestrian circulation and integrate future building projects.
Stage 2A and 2B involved the upgrade of the Administration and Performing Arts building, forecourt and upgraded entrance garden, steps and paths.
Stage 3 followed immediately after and included a multi storey educational hub building and a significant new paved central courtyard space featuring seating walls,terracing, a campus lawn, staff carpark, new gardens and native trees. Accessibility was a key consideration for the project and the landscape design included resolution of a number of accessibility ramps and graded walkways which were stitched into the complex existing site topography.
The new landscape spaces provide much needed green, breathing space in what is now a densely developed college campus, critical to student and staff well being.
Our role included preparation of schematic design drawings, design development, documentation for tender and site inspections through the construction phases of each stage.
The projects were successfully completed in 2023.
Our team has continued our working relationship with the school and have subsequently assisted with a number of additional grounds improvement projects including the upgrade of the frontage gardens and a new sports ground.
