RP Infrastructure

Inner Sydney and its surrounds are experiencing urban renewal through new residential developments, and more families remaining in or moving back to the inner city. As a consequence, the growth in the number of school-aged children in these areas is placing increasing pressure on public education services. In March 2015 the NSW Department of Education committed to building a new high-rise high school on the corner of Cleveland and Chalmers Streets in Sydney, adjacent to Prince Alfred Park.

Project Overview

The flagship, future-focused Inner Sydney High School provides 1200 student places and will employ 100 teaching and support staff in the new 14-storey facility. The facility design and planning incorporates functional efficiencies in vertical circulation, building services and environmentally sustainable features to achieve an accessible and enjoyable environment for students and staff.

Our Role

RP Infrastructure (RPI) was commissioned in July 2015 to provide comprehensive project management services to manage all stages of the works from design through programming, authority approval, management of construction and commissioning. This scope included extensive and ongoing consultation with the local community. RPI managed the international design excellence competition to identify a winning concept and a head design consultant for the project.

Key Challenge

The heritage buildings on the site were a major consideration for the design. Extensive adaptive reuse of the 150-year-old historic buildings was planned to complement and connect to the new tower. Ongoing consultation with the City of Sydney ensured that the final design responds sensitively to the adjacent Prince Alfred Park whilst also addressing the operational issues of the site’s location on two major arterial roads.