New School Grounds for Pioneering Special Assistance School

Rohrig has a long history of excellence in the education sector and most recently we built new school grounds for pioneering special assistance school, Ohana College, located on Griffith University’s Logan Campus in Brisbane.

The existing Ohana College campus had outgrown its facilities, so the educator went out to tender requiring a new building with unique classrooms and amenities to meet the specific needs of its students.

Rohrig is proud to have won both tenders for this exciting two-stage project, which allowed us to undertake each stage concurrently resulting in an efficient program and timely completion.

Architecture by Novum and project management by Gowdie Management Group, resulted in a new highly-functional school building that merges contemporary styling with student-specific features like private withdrawal rooms for de-escalation.

A strong focus on acoustics and robustness was key for this project, ensuring the facilities will stand the test of time while offering a quiet, comfortable environment for students.

Stage one of this project involved construction of the new building, which features additional administrative facilities, eight new classrooms, sick bay, bathrooms, and a sub-tenancy for Griffith University staff.

“While being a greenfield site, we encountered some hurdles presented by soft and reactive ground,” said Rohrig Project Manager, Elliot Sterling.

“Our approach is to find the right long-term solutions to setbacks like this, ensuring the project remains on track.”

Our team worked to offer innovative solutions to solve the issue of soft ground, including the use of a suspended slab to allow for ground swell, atop screw piles and a void former.

We established early on that services would not fit within the existing design of the building, but we were able to work with the client and architect to resolve this.

Stage two included the construction of four more classrooms, welfare offices, sensory room, undercover multi-purpose sporting courts, kitchen and dining area, outdoor oval space and a car park.

We worked with the client, project manager and architect throughout this project to find alternative materials and finishes, achieving a significant 15% cost saving without impacting the design intent or quality of the project.

Rohrig are trusted builders within the education industry, proud to construct schools that will stand the test of time.