Northern Beaches Christian School, New STEM Building

Rohrig is taking the prestigious Northern Beaches Christian School in Sydney to the next level, with a new three-story STEM building that is due to be completed in time for term four this year.

While the project is well underway, we wanted to share an update on some of the construction milestones achieved and innovative methods used for the complex building so far.

We commenced by demolishing an existing building to make way for the cutting-edge STEM building, which will form the centrepiece of the school offering no less than nine science laboratories, two classrooms and two seminar rooms.

The three-story building will feature an intricate stepped glazed facade, exposed CHS steel truss roof and off-form concrete columns and walls, designed to complement the existing design themes present across the campus.

A major milestone for us was completing the roof structure, which required precision craning of trusses into position as our team meticulously installed purlins and bracing. As the roof approaches completion, we are now planning to begin construction of the stepped glazed feature facade and high-tech interior fit-out.

“The roof of the new STEM building is a major design feature with an intricate design, which was a precision undertaking and one we were perfectly suited for,” said Rohrig Construction Manager, Tim Auty.

Exposed concrete is also a major feature of the design, crafted by WMK Architecture. We put an innovative site-based pre-cast column concept into practice, allowing us to achieve a two-storey Class 2 finish with no cold joints, saving time and logistical difficulties.

The drainage system within the columns required unique installation techniques, with the team suspending the column over a pedestal while the hydraulic contractor completed welding of the siphonic system into the formwork. After completing the siphonic system installation, the columns were lowered onto the pad.

This method achieved the design intent of the project, proving the power of innovative thinking on complex projects like this one.

“We are proud to have used this method, which is considered unconventional, and shows just how innovative our team are when it comes to unique solutions to complex requirements,” said Mr Auty.

We are excited to share more details of this exciting project, which combines innovative building practices and inspiring design to take the Northern Beaches Christian School into the future.