Emanuel School’s double fortune
The redevelopment of the Adler Building will will double its floor area with three levels of flexible learning spaces, state-of-the-art facilities and a new “Imaginarium”.
EMANUEL School students will be learning in new purpose-built spaces within three years after the school was granted both DA approval for a major construction project and JCA approval to hold a capital appeal next year.
The redevelopment of the Adler Building will will double its floor area with three levels of flexible learning spaces, state-of-the-art facilities and a new “Imaginarium”. Natural light and ventilation will help to reduce the school’s environmental footprint.
Principal Andrew Watt told The AJN the school needs learning spaces “that will actually match what we’re teaching”.
“We teach a lot of project-based learning, we do a whole lot of innovative stuff,” he said.
“Because we do a lot of collaborative group work we need breakout spaces and flexible spaces that we can move stuff around [in] … We also want to have flow out spaces that we can run exhibitions in.
“So we needed large classrooms that were very agile and flexible and that’s what the building design gives us.”
He said the project “is about building a bright future”.
“This is just one piece of the jigsaw and by building this building, it actually frees up other parts of the school,” he said.
“We’ve got a whole lot of plans that will be predicated on having this new area that will really impact the learning, and just align it to the way that we teach and our innovative practices.”
With the DA secured, he said the next steps are to put construction to tender, engage consultants and work on the interior designs room by room.
“We’re very committed to getting it started as soon as we can,” he said.
“The capital appeal is October next year, so if funds are raised by the end of October we’d be in a position to launch. By that stage we’ll have done all the groundwork.”
Construction is expected to take between 18 and 24 months.
Watt added that JCA “have been terrific” throughout the process so far.
“They’ve been with us all along the way on this journey, they have given us excellent advice and they’ve made it very clear the timelines and the key milestones we have to achieve to get the capital appeal, and they’ve been very, very supportive,” he said.
JCA CEO Alain Hasson said, “JCA commends Emanuel on their well-considered redevelopment plan and congratulates them on the recent approval of their DA.
“We wish Emanuel and the school community only success with their 2021 appeal.”
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